Borthwick Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Borthwick last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Borthwick last name
Meaning of the Borthwick last name: farm by the board ford. Borthwick is a Scottish surname from Borthwick Water in Roxburghshire, from Old English bord, "plank", and wic, "farm". Borthwick Castle in Midlothian is one of the best-kept tower houses in Scotland, where Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed in 1567. The last name is Lowland.
Arms associated with the Borthwick name
Coats of arms associated with the Borthwick surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Borthwick family history
This is only a glimpse of the Borthwick story. The full Borthwick history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Borthwick coat of arms. Get the full Borthwick report.
Borthwick name FAQ
What does the Borthwick name mean?
Farm by the board ford. Common variants include Borthwicke.
Where does the Borthwick surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Borthwick coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Borthwick coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).