Hollingsworth
A locational surname meaning “someone from Hollingworth,” a place-name likely referring to a nook or enclosure associated with a person called Holling or Holin.
The #1,504 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 12,956 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Hollingsworth is generally treated as a place-derived surname from Hollingworth, a North West English place-name. The second element is Old English worth, meaning an enclosed settlement, farmstead, or dwelling place. The first element is usually explained as a personal name such as Holling or Holin, so the whole name would mean “Holling’s enclosure” or “the farmstead of Holling.”
History
The surname was established in northern England and later spread more widely, especially into Derbyshire and adjacent counties. Historical surname studies group Hollingsworth with Hollingworth as closely related spellings of the same place-based name. In modern usage, Hollingsworth is the more common spelling, while Hollingworth remains a well-known variant.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is closely tied to a real English place-name, so people named Hollingsworth and Hollingworth may ultimately share the same geographic root.
From the historical record
“send ; a loc. n., Yorks. Or Hol- lingside ; a loc. n., Dur. Hollingsworth. See Holling- worth Hollingworth. A loc. n., Lancs Hollomon, Hollyman. See Holeyman”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)