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THE FAMILY NAME HISTORY FOR ILLINGWORTH. 'THE ENGLISH SURNAME ILLINGWORTH IS OF LOCAL ORIGIN. THIS MEANS THAT IT WAS USED ORIGINALLY TO REFER TO THE BEARER REFERRING TO THE PLACE WHERE HE LIVED OR WHERE HE HAD LAND. IN THIS CASE ILLINGWORTH IS THE NAME OF A CHAPELRY IN THE PARISH OF HALIFAX IN WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND. THE PLACE NAME ITSELF MEANS 'ENCLOSURE OF ILLAS PEOPLE'. ILLA BEING A SCANDINAVIAN PERSONAL NAME. THE SCANDINAVIAN INFLUENCE WAS VERY STRONG IN ENGLAND IN THE WAKE OF THE VIKING RAIDS IN THE 9th CENTURY. BECAUSE OF ITS LOCAL ORIGINS, EARLY INSTANCES OF THE SURNAME ARE PREFIXED BY 'DE' MEANING 'OF'. EARLY RECORDS OF THE NAME IN ENGLAND INCLUDE ONE 'ALICE DE ILLINGWORTH' WHO IS MENTIONED IN THE COURT ROLLS OF THE MANOR OF WAKEFIELD, WEST YORKSHIRE IN 1314 AND ALSO 'JOHN DE ILLINGWORTH' MENTIONED IN THE POLL TAXES FOR YORKSHIRE IN THE YEAR 1379. NOT SURPRISINGLY, ILLINGWORTH IS NOW MOST NUMEROUS WITHIN THE YORKSHIRE AND LANCASHIRE AREAS OF ENGLAND. IN AMERICA, THE NAME IS QUITE OFTEN FOUND IN THE FORM OF ILLINGSWORTH.' THIS WAS SENT TO ME FROM ANOTHER ILLINGWORTH IN 2004 AND IS VERY INTERESTING READING DON'T YOU AGREE. ANYMORE INFORMATION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. FROM, PAUL (TREVOR) ILLINGWORTH b.1951 LIVING IN BLACKPOOL LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND. 26/03/2005

:-D

Awesome bit of information! Thank you! We have only just discovered that my great grandfather changed his name from Illingworth to Illingsworth when he came to Australia (via Canada) from the UK. We've got the family back to a Samuel Illingworth born early 1700's most likely from the Yorkshire area.

Thanks again!

Kylie - Paul unlikely to see your posting - he posted years ago - you could try to make contact with him via the "Send messge" system