Adamthwaite
One-Name Study

Topics

• About the Adamthwaite One-Name Study
• Variants
• Origin of the surname
• Historical occurrences
• Frequency of the name
• Distribution of the name
• Data
• DNA project
• Links
• Contact Details

About the Adamthwaite One-Name Study

This project is very much ‘work in progress’. The information held on our website has been contributed by various members of the Adamthwaite mailing list on Rootsweb.com, some of whom have been researching the name for several decades. The general aim of our group is to build a worldwide Adamthwaite family tree and to that end we welcome anyone who has Adamthwaites in their family tree to join the mailing list and share information.

Variants

The earliest occurrences of the name appear as Adamthwayt, Adamtwyat and Adamthwat, later becoming Adamthwait. The current form is usually Adamthwaite (occasionally Adamsthwaite). However, the variety of mistranscriptions, particularly on on-line censuses, is amazing – Idamthwate, Adamthavale, Adamshwaste, Adam Hinote, Adamthvisete, Adamtunriz, Adanthwill, Adamthoah, Dolamothwaite, Adamttimould, Adam Schwarte, and my personal favourite Shdamthawa. I am assured that the correct pronunciation (in and around Ravenstonedale at least) is Adamth’t.

Origin of the surname

It seems highly likely that the earliest Adamthwaites were occupants of an isolated group of farmhouses on the moors in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Westmorland, England. The Pipe Roll of Cumberland and Westmorland of 1248 mentions an AdamThwayt however this name appears to have evolved from earlier entries (dating 1235 through to 1247) where it is shown as Adam Cayt or Adam Kayet. Several mentions of the original group of farms at Adamthwaite have been found in manorial documents dating back to the mid 1500s, but the present building was rebuilt by Thomas Adamthwaite in 1684.

Historical occurrences

In 1541, in a manuscript containing a conveyance of the farms and tenements of Ravenstonedale by King Henry VIII in the 32nd year of his reign, details 194 landholders in the dale, including:

Reynold Adamthwaite (4 acres)

Robert Adamthwaite (9 acres)

Richard Adamthayte (6 acres)

Widow of Ed. Adamthayte (cottage)

Widow of Robert Adamthayte (8 acres)

(source: Rev. W Nicholls' 1877 'History & Traditions of Ravenstonedale, Westmorland'

The same publication also describes the Grand Jury in Ravenstonedale which in 1581 had the power to try cases of contention, variance, debts, demands, titles, claims and tenant-right – two of the 13 members of the jury were William Adamthwaite and John Adamthwaite.

The Ravenstonedale Parish Registers contain records of many Adamthwaites who were baptised, married and buried in Ravenstonedale between the years of 1572 and 1812 – varying amounts of information are given about these people, but there are occasional mentions of their place of abode: Adamthwaite, Artelgarth, Hill, Malastang, Town, Lowcomb Head,, Fell-end, Newbiggin, Murthwaite, Steps Beck, Streetside (all these places are within a short distance of Ravenstonedale.

The Registers contain some fascinating notes: there were plagues recorded in 1579, 1588, 1623 and 1730. 24 burials which took place between sep 1678 and 1679 (including two Adamthwaites) were ‘wound up and buryed in nothing but wt was made of sheepswool only according to an Act of Parliament for that purpose enacted’.

Frequency of the name

We have identified a strong clustering of early records from Ravenstonedale in Westmorland. The following figures relate only to births or baptisms

Before 1550: A search of the IGI reveals no Adamthwat (or variant) entries before the year of 1550.

Between 1550 and 1600 there are a total of 22 baptisms recorded on IGI – 20 of these in Ravenstonedale, Westmorland, 2 in St Crux, York. (Note: duplicates and non-extracted entries have been discounted)

Between 1601 and 1700 (total 86 baptisms): We have collected records from a variety of sources and have identified a total of 86 Adamthwaite baptisms in this period – of these 64 were in Westmorland (all but one in Ravenstonedale); 14 were in the West riding of Yorkshire and 8 were in the City of London.

Between 1701 and 1800 (total 83 baptisms): in this period there were 61 baptisms recorded in Westmorland, 20 in the West Riding of Yorkshire and 2 in the City of London.

Between 1801 and 1900 (total 366 baptisms/births): As well as a huge increase in the recorded number of births/baptisms, much more movement is detected at this time as the many Adamthwaite farmers and agricultural labourers sought work in mining and other industries in County Durham and Lancashire, and for the first time the number of Adamthwaites in London and Middlesex outnumbered those in Westmorland. The last Adamthwaite birth was recorded in Ravenstonedale in 1833, though there were still many families in surrounding towns and villages. Also during this century a number of Adamthwaites emigrated to Australia, Canada and America. In the UK the following numbers of baptisms were recorded – Bucks (1); Cumbs (7); Dublin (2); Durham (28); Gloucs (4); Kent (2); Lancs (40); London city (7); Middx (111); North Riding (15); Notts (4); Surrey (28); Sussex (3); Staffs (1); Warwk (1); Westmorland (63); West Riding (44)

Between 1901 and 2000 (total 314 births): Although the distribution across the country has continued, the main areas inhabited by Adamthwaite families remain in London and surrounding counties, and in the north of England in the counties of Westmorland, Yorkshire, Durham and Lancashire.

According to the ONS database, there were 132 individuals with the surname Adamthwaite living in England, Wales and the Isle of Man in 2002. This compares with 78 individuals found in the 1841 census, 87 in the 1851 census, 122 in the 1861 census, 128 in the 1871 census, 158 in the 1881 census, 154 in the 1891 census and 141 in the 1901 census.

Distribution of the name

Distribution maps for 1841 - 1901 UK censuses are shown on our website (see link below) together with information about migration.

Data

Our Adamthwaite Archive website contains a large amount of data, as well as articles about various members of the Adamthwaite family, a photo gallery of our ancestors and the places where they lived, copies of wills and other historical documents.

By cross indexing the BMD and census records together with invaluable information gleaned from wills, we have been able to identify nine family lines – all of which originate in Ravenstonedale (Westmorland) or just across the county border in Sedbergh (West Riding of Yorkshire). Both places are now in the county of Cumbria. The vast majority of BMD events between 1700 and 1950 and virtually all census records have been classified into one of these family lines and are clearly shown on the spreadsheets. Amongst the international membership of the Adamthwaite mailing list we have at least one representative of each of these family lines.

UK: Details of all registered births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 2004 have been extracted from the GRO index – annotated records are shown on our archive site (cut off points have been used to ensure no records are given for living individuals). Also all Adamthwaites appearing in the England and Wales censuses between 1841 and 1901 have been transcribed from original images and are included on the website, along with a number of Wills and other documents.

Australia and New Zealand: Known birth marriage and death information is included, but this is known to be incomplete at present.

United States and Canada: Data is currently being collected.

DNA project

If there are any Adamthwaites reading this who are interested in taking part in a DNA project, please get in touch and we can look into this. To be eligible you must be a) male and b) have the surname of Adamthwaite; i.e. be directly descended from the original Adamthwaite family through the male line.

Links

The Adamthwaite Archive is our main resource.

On this website, you can also find out how to join the Adamthwaite Mailing List on Rootsweb.com.

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mrs Sue Mastel
E-mail:

This page last updated 8 March 2008.

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