WHERRET FAMILY HISTORY

This page is dedicated to the history of the branch of the Wherret family from Old Malton, North Yorkshire.

The Wherret surname occurs with numerous spelling variants (Warret, Wheritt etc), and is probably a diminutive based on the Old German names Werrin and Warin or the later Norman Weric and Geuric, all of which mean 'war', with the 'it' ending representing a contraction of the French 'petit'. 

The Wherret family have been the subject of a DNA study by Leicester University (coordinated by Brian Wherrett), which suggests a link between the Yorkshire Wherrets and the earlier Gloucestershire Werretts, who may have migrated via the West Midlands. Tony Knight's Werrett and Variations Database contains references to over 2000 individuals with variations on the Wherret name, largely descendants of Richard Wherrett of Warwickshire and of the Gloucestershire Werretts.

By the 1640's, a Thomas Wherret was living in Old Malton, where he baptised several children and apparently served as churchwarden. His son Thomas married Averill Dixon in 1686, and their descendants continued to flourish in the Scarborough and Whitby areas down into the 19th century. Thomas's daughter Jane (1693-1781) married Thomas Underwood (c.1688-1749) of Egton, and their descendants are outlined on the related Underwood tree.

Anyone interested in further details of this branch of the Wherret family, or who is able to provide additional details relevant to this branch, is invited to contact the coordinator for this page Ian Hall. 

This page was last updated 25 June 2007