Surname Worthen - Meaning and Origin
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Worthen: What does the surname Worthen mean?
The surname Worthen is of English origin and is believed to be a locational name deriving from various places named Wortham or Worthen in England. These place names come from the Old English words "w(e)orth" meaning enclosure or homestead. Hence, the name Worthen would primarily mean "of Worthen" and could indicate that the initial bearers hailed from these locations. Additionally, the meaning of "worth" in Old English also relates to values of courage or dignity, adding potential metaphoric implications to the surname. Surnames were often used in ancient times as a way to identify individuals originating from specific towns or regions or by occupation, contributing to the range of their possible meanings. Thus, this last name reflects the ancestry and geographic history of the family line. It spread across countries as people migrated, and variations of the spelling evolved over time. Worthen, while less common compared to other surnames, can still be found today in several regions around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisWorthen: Where does the name Worthen come from?
The last name Worthen is most common in the United States of America, but is present in several countries around the world.
In the United States, the latest available information from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests that the last name Worthen is most commonly seen in Pennsylvania, where it is the 553rd most common surname in the state. It is also relatively common in Texas (945th), Ohio, West Virginia, and Arkansas.
Internationally, the last name Worthen is especially prevalent in Canada: it is the 1335th most common surname there. The last name is also relatively common in England, at approximately the 1577th most common last name. It is also present in Scotland, where it is 7394th most common.
Given the extent of the surname’s reach, it appears that the last name Worthen is pretty well distributed around the world. It is most common in the United States and its neighboring countries, but it does appear to be moving around the world, taking hold in new places like England and Scotland.
Variations of the surname Worthen
The surname Worthen encompasses a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin.
Variants: Warten, Worthan, Worthington
Spellings: Worten, Woerthon
Surnames: Worthing, Worton, Wortman, Worthy, Worrell
Worthen is a surname derived from the Old English, pre 7th century word ‘weorth’, meaning homestead. It was originally used as a geographical name to denote someone who lived at or near a homestead. In some cases, the surname Worthen may have also originated from the similar sounding Old English personal name ‘Werth’. The surname was first found in Shropshire, where the name was derived from the Old English ‘weorth’, meaning homestead, or Old English name ‘Werth’, meaning powerful. It is likely that the name was added to distinguish people of the same name.
Examples of the Worthen surname can be found in both historical and modern records. The earliest recorded occurrences of the name date from the13th century in Shropshire. In the modern era, the frequency of the Worthen surname is quite low, with those carrying the name usually located in England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States.
Variations of the spellings and surnames of the same origin may mention Worthing, Worton, or Worthy. Those with the Worthen surname often adopted other surnames in times of war or migration, when they needed to distinguish themselves from others with the same name. As a result, some variations of the surname are Worling, Worrick, and Warrington.
Famous people with the name Worthen
- Catherine Worthen: Catherine Worthen is a Canadian actor, director, and singer based in Toronto. She has starred in several independent films including the critically acclaimed Blood & Circuits and Split.
- Gregg Worthen: Gregg Worthen is an American singer-songwriter from Maryland. He has released five albums, including the Grammy-nominated For Your Love.
- Dax Worthen: Dax Worthen is a professional basketball player who currently plays for the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA. Originally from Massachusetts, Dax was a highly decorated high school player, garnering multiple awards for his skills on the court.
- Hayley Worthen: Hayley Worthen is an American professional DJ and producer based in Los Angeles. She is best known for her hard-hitting, bass-driven style and has performed at numerous festivals, clubs, and events all over the world.
- Wendy Worthen: Wendy Worthen is an American businesswoman, philanthropist, and professor. She is the founder and CEO of the global consulting firm New Insights, and is the author of several books on business strategy.
- Maureen Worthen: Maureen Worthen is an Australian fashion and beauty blogger, author, and YouTube sensation. She is best known for her popular beauty vlogs and makeup tutorials.
- Alonzo Worthen: Alonzo Worthen is an actor, director, and screenwriter from Chicago. He has been seen in films such as Slahuched and Alteration and the sitcom The talkers. He is best known for his breakthrough performance as Jeff on the teen drama series Degrassi.
- Dave Worthen: Dave Worthen is an American bluegrass and folk musician from Ohio. He is best known for his unique style of banjo-picking as well as for his songwriting and multi-instrumental talents.