With

The surname With is of Old English origin, dating back to the medieval period in England. The name is believed to have been derived from the Middle English word "with," which means "against" or "opposite." This could indicate that the surname originated as a topographical name for someone who lived opposite a prominent feature such as a hill, a river, or a forest. Another possible derivation could be from the Old English word "wīth," meaning "twisted" or "withered," which might refer to a particular type of tree or landscape feature.

The surname With is first recorded in historical documents in the 11th century. Notably, the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror. An entry mentions a landholder named Alwinus With in the county of Yorkshire. This early occurrence suggests that the name was already in use before the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In the centuries that followed, the surname With is found in various legal and ecclesiastical records, reflecting its persistence in English society. By the 13th century, the name appears in the Assize Rolls, with an entry for Robertus With in Essex in 1260. This period marks the gradual standardization of surnames in England, and With became more consistently used as a family name.

In the 14th century, another notable bearer of the surname was John With, recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327. These tax records indicate that people bearing the surname With were landowners or had some status within their communities. The absence of a specific regional concentration suggests that the surname With was relatively widespread across different parts of England.

Continuing into the 15th century, the surname appears in various wills and testamentary documents. An example includes William With, whose will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in 1476. Documents like these provide valuable insights into the lives and occupations of individuals with the surname.

Famous individuals with the surname With include Leonard With, a 16th-century clergyman known for his work in religious reform in Cambridgeshire, where he was born in 1503 and died in 1572. Another notable figure is Edmund With, an Elizabethan merchant active in London from 1560 to 1608. His trade activities were well-documented in the city’s guild records. Fast forward to the 17th century, Richard With gained prominence as a naval officer who served during the English Civil War, born in 1610 and perished in 1664. More recently, Johan With, a Norwegian explorer credited with mapping parts of the Arctic in the 19th century, born in 1820 and died in 1893, shows the surname's spread beyond England.

This detailed history illustrates the enduring legacy and geographical spread of the surname With, reflecting various aspects of English social history from the medieval period to more recent centuries.