Worsham and Washam Family History

The Worsham & Washam Family History contains no pictures, however, many have contributed early photographs of family members. This site is a summary of the Worsham & Washam Family History book, annotated with pictures and the Addenda to the book.

The page numbers in the banners are page numbers in the Worsham & Washam Family History.

If you see a small thumbnail picture, click each thumbnail to see the full-size picture. Use your Web browser's Back button to return to the previous Family History page.

Page numbers of the book are in the Addenda Index section.

Questions and information on the book, Worsham and Washam Family History, should be directed to Dorothy Tuttle at or click Book Information on the left of this page. Very limited quantities of the book are available.

To search your family please visit our Site Search Engine and Guestbook.

To submit family photos and family information, please email

We need volunteers for the new Worsham / Washam DNA Project

If you are interested in more information on your family line, please write. Only a fraction of the total information has been published here.

Worsham and Washam Genealogy

Worshams and Wertleshams are in the records of Bexle (Bexhill) Sussex, England as early as 1462 AD. Researchers believe that the Worsham name originated from Wyrtlesham, Worswick, Worleich, Worsam, or Worsley. Early spelling variants in England include Wertlesham, Wartling, Wyrtlesham, Worsham.

The first to migrate to America was William Worsnam (Worsham) who originally bought 200 acres in Henrico Co, Virginia in 1640. George Worsham, probably William's brother, also settled in Virginia. Twelve years later, in 1652, William and George Worsnam (Worsham) purchased 200 acres in Henrico Co, Virginia along the Appomattox River at the mouth of Old Town Creek and extended north and east toward Swift Creek. Their early descendant's predominately lived in Henrico, Charles City, Prince Edward, Amelia and Chesterfield Counties of Virginia.

Before the 1850's in the United States, there was little effort to be consistent in spelling and many names were recognized by pronouncing them phonetically. The most common modern variation of Worsham is Washam. Many other spelling variations exist, including Warsham, Worshum, Warshum, Washum, Wisham, Wishum and Washham. Also, often the hand writing is poor or difficult to read. We will generally write what spelling we find in the record.

Early in Mecklenburg, Iredell and Rowan Co, NC before 1810 all were spelled Worsham. Their name in Virginia where they immigrated from was also Worsham. After abt 1810, you start to find the name spelled Washam. This also happened to another group of Worsham's who moved to Kentucky. In Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina some families changed the name to Wisham.

The Worsham and Washam Family History Addenda is published on this web site. Some newly updated pages are:

Addenda Index - We have an index to the Addenda and to the Worsham and Washam Family History. This index will make it much easier to find an update to the book for your family. To see if we have added information on a family, find the page number in the book and locate that page number in the Addenda Index.

DNA Project - Information on the new Worsham/Washam DNA Project is available at DNA Project.

New Families - Several families that are not in the Worsham and Washam Family History have been added under New Families Section. The new family section includes early families from England and Barbados.

Photographs - We introduced thumbnails for pictures to speed up page down loading. To see an enlarged copy of a picture, just click on it, then use your Web browsers Back button to return to the Family History page. To find a photograph, we have added a photograph index on the Photograph Index Page.

Surname Information - We have added a surname page including name scarcity information and locations named after family members on the Surname Info Page

Historic Events - We have added a Historic Events section. This page links visitors to interesting and sometimes historic events in the Worsham and Washam Family History.

Family Memorabilia - Photos of Worsham and Washam collectables and memorabilia are in the Family Memorabilia section.

Library Index - We have added a Library Index link, to see if a library near you may have a copy of The Worsham and Washam Family History.

Worsham and Washam Family History

We are pleased to let all those who have contributed to the Worsham & Washam Family History know that the book has been published. The book focuses on the descendants of William and George Worsnam (Worsham) and traces over 2000 direct descendants of William Worsham and over 300 descendants of George Worsham. Beginning in the earliest days of American history with several influential Virginia families, their history proceeds to soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War. We have also included details of those descendants who served and fought in the War of 1812, the Civil War and even includes a wild west hanging.

Tennessee Ancestors, December 2000, published by The East Tennessee Historical Society wrote (The East Tennessee Historical Society 1834, P.O. Box 1629, Knoxville, TN 37901):

"Worsham and Washam Family History. This very expansive work begins with William Worsham, Sr., who was born before 1619 in England and was in Virginia before 1640. His land patent in 1652 in Henrico County, Virginia, mentions 200 acres that he purchased in 1640. This book focuses on William, George (probably William's brother), and their descendants. Over 2000 direct descendants of William alone are traced using extensive records of many types. Interesting family stories are related, such as the one about a woman murdering a man after he had told her to dig her own grave. Any researcher of the Worsham family should find this book a valuable resource. A full name index is included."

We are happy to share family information and will be happy to help research your Worsham related family. If interested, please leave a message in our guest book or email us at the links below.

This Web site contains 104 pages of additional information not published in the Worsham and Washam Family History. After clicking on each page - use Edit (find) to search for a name or place.

Occasionally, this site may not be available. We have other web site addresses you may access information. Please save these addresses and try them if this site is down:

www.worsham.larrywasham.com Primary site - updated

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~worshamwasham/ Support site - updated

http://www.accessgenealogy.com/worsham-washam/ Old site - not updated

http://www.geocities.com/worsham-washam/ Old site - not updated

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Valley/1360/ Old site - not updated

http://worsham-washam.accessgenealogy.com/ Old site - not updated

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/4076/ Old site - not updated

New site information, message board & Worsham and Washam Family History Web Site search engine are available on our News and Site Search Page.

Monday May 23, 2011

Web Contact Information

Postal address: Larry Washam, 16 Smithfield Terrace, Nashua, NH 03064
Electronic mail: Larry Washam:; Dorothy Tuttle
Webmaster:

This site is an addenda to "Worsham and Washam Family History"

For corrections, additions and information email

More information on the book "Worsham and Washam Family History" please email