Union County, Georgia
Duckworth Family Section
and compiled by John Francis Duckworth
contributed by John Francis Duckworth and Jerrell Duckworth
Updated August 12, 2012
The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname DUCKWORTH
Following is a history of the English name “Duckworth” which was
published by The Hall of Names Ltd., 205 St. John's Hill, Battersea,
London SW1 1TH, England
The Saxon Chronicle, compiled by monks in the 10th century, now reposes
in the British Museum. It is a history of the Saxon settlement of
History researchers have examined reproductions of such ancient
manuscripts as the Domesday Book (1086), the Ragman Rolls (1291-1296),
the Curia Regis Rolls, The Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish
registers, baptismal, tax records. They found the first record of the
name Duckworth in Cambridgeshire where they had been seated from early
Throughout the centuries your name, Duckworth, occurred in many
records, manuscripts and documents but not always with your exact
spelling. From time to time the surname was spelt Duckworth, Dykeward,
Duckword, Duckward, Duckwort, Duckwart, Dickworth, Dickward, Dickword,
Dickwort, and these variations in spelling frequently occurred, even
between father and son. Scribes and church officials frequently spelled
the names phonetically. As a result the same person would be recorded
differently on birth, baptismal, marriage, and death certificates.
The Saxon race gave names to many English surnames, not the least of
which was the surnames Duckworth. The Saxons, invited into England by
the ancient Britons of the 4th century, were a fair skinned people
their home was the Rhine Valley. They were led by two brothers,
General\Commanders Hengist and Horsa, The Saxons settled in the county
of Kent, in southern England. During the next four hundred years they
forced the Ancient Britons back into Wales and Cornwall in the west and
Cumberland to the north. The Angles occupied the eastern coast, the
south folk in Suffolk, and the north folk in Norfolk. Under Saxon rule
England prospered under a series of High Kings, the last of which was
In 1066, there was the Norman invasion from France and their victory at
the Battle of Hastings. In 1070, Duke William took an army of 40,000
north and wasted the northern counties, forcing many rebellious Norman
nobles and Saxons to flee over the border into Scotland. The Saxons who
remained in the south were not treated well under hostile Norman rule,
and many also moved northward.
Nevertheless, this notable family name, Duckworth, emerged as an
influential name in the county of Cambridge. The surname Duckworth
comes from the occupation "dykeward," who was a man appointed on the
east coast to watch the embankments. In pre-Henry VIII times the name
was spelled Dykeward and over the years changed to the contemporary
name Duckworth. From the eastern counties of England, the name traveled
to the southwest counties to Topsam in Devonshire and Somerset. It also
traveled to the northern county of Lancashire, where in 1310 Henry
Duckworth held the estate of Oswaldtwistle and Duckworth, in the parish
of Whalley. By 1379 Henricus Duckworth had inherited the family
estates, continuing a tradition of a long line of Duckworths in this
northern community. In the south the Baronet of Topsham had established
estates and manors in Devonshire.
In Barwen in Somerset, another branch acquired estates. In nearby
Hampshire, the Duckworths were included in a census of large landowners
in the middle ages. Sometime later the family moved to London and
followed business pursuits. At this same time Lancashire Duckworths
moved into the commercial center at that time, the city of Manchester.
Those Duckworths who stayed in England continued to flourish,
especially in the south. Notable amongst the family at this time was
Duckworth at Cambridgeshire.
During the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries England was ravaged by
plagues, famine, and religious conflict. Protestantism, the newly found
political fervor of Cromwellianism and democratic government, and the
remnants of the Roman Church rejected all non believers. The changing
rule caused burnings, hangings and banishments of all sects and creeds.
Many families were freely "encouraged" to migrate to Ireland, or to the
"colonies." Some were rewarded with grants of lands, others were
The families who migrated to Ireland became known as the Adventurers
for land in Ireland. Protestant settlers "undertook" to keep their
faith, being granted lands previously owned by the Catholic Irish.
There is no record of this distinguished family migrating to Ireland,
but this does not preclude the possibility of individual migration.
The New World offered better opportunities and some migrated
voluntarily. Some left Ireland, disillusioned with promises
unfulfilled, but many left directly from their home territories. Some
also moved to the European continent.
Members of the family name Duckworth sailed aboard the huge armada of
three-masted sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the
stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships such as the Hector, the Dove
and the Rambler, were pestilence ridden, sometimes 30% to 40% of the
passenger list never reaching their destination.
During the course of our research we also determined the many Coats Of
Arms granted to different branches of the family name.
The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found was: On a silver
background, a black cross with a gold cross surmounted, and at the top
two dragon's heads, surrounded by four arrow heads.
The Crest was: A dragon's head surrounded by four arrow heads.
Another account of the history of the Duckworth name follows. This is
copied from a paper furnished to me by Margaret Duckworth Sewell.
Back To Union County, Georgia GenWeb Site
Appendix A, p. 2
Appendix A, p. 3
Appendix B, p. 1
Appendix B, p. 2
Appendix B, p. 3
Appendix B, p. 4
Appendix B, p. 5
Appendix B, p. 6
Appendix B, p. 7
Appendix B, p. 8
Appendix B, p. 9
Appendix B, p. 10
Appendix B, p. 11
Appendix B, p. 12
This page was last updated on September 2, 2012
Copyright © 2012 John Francis
Format Copyright © 2012 Tim Seawolf-Self /
Peck. All Rights Reserved