50,338 Global Winter Family Members

Winter Family History

Family spelling variants include Winter.

There are approximately 50,338 Winters family members around the world. In general you can double this figure to include those related to the Winters names to allow for those connected to the name through maiden name connections.

An English and Scottish relationship name and nickname from the Middle English personal name Winter (Old English Wintra or Continental Germanic Wintar). It may also be an Ashkenazic "ornamental" surname denoting the season, which were distributed by German government officials in the 18th century, to immigrants from other countries. 

Originally a nickname from the word for ‘winter’ and perhaps still a nickname (perhaps for someone with a wintry appearance or disposition) in the period of surname formation. 

An occupational name, occasionally perhaps from Middle English winter, a variant of Middle English, Anglo-Norman French viniter, vinter ‘wine merchant’. 

Early bearers of the surname include: Lettice Winters, 1580 in IGI (Grantham, Lincs); Joannes Winters, 1625 in IGI (Cambridge, Cambs); Elizabeth Winters, 1634 in IGI (Wootton Wawen, Warwicks); Daniel Winters, 1691 in IGI (Great Gransden, Hunts); Daniel Winters, 1714 in IGI (Ashwell, Herts).

William Winters, an English convict from Cambridgeshire was transported aboard the “Albion” ship on 17 May 1823, arriving in Van Diemen's Land, Australia. 

In 1891 census, the surname was recorded in England and Wales with 1,133 occurrences and a fewer 96 in Scotland. 

In 1881 census, the surname was frequent in Midlands. Cambridgeshire was also reported as a top county for the surname with 105 occurrences.

In 1881, Agricultural Labourer, Labourer and Farm Labourer were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Winters in UK, the most common being Agricultural Labourer. A less common occupation was Farmer.

The noted English brothers, Mike and Bernie Winters formed a comedy double act, consisting of Mike Winters, born Michael Weinstein (1926 – 2013) and Bernie Winters, born Bernard Weinstein (1930 – 1991). They were popular in the United Kingdom from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s.

1881, 1891 Census

1881 Census in Cambridgeshire

Dictionary of American Family Homes, P Hanks OUP 2003

Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, H.B. Guppy, London 1890

The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, P.Hanks, Coats, McClure OUP 2016

1860 Lower, Mark A Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom, London: J.R Smith. Public Domain

1857 Arthur, William An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain

https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/winters/william/76324

J.M.P