The winch Surname
winch Name Meaning and History
- in examples such as William de la Winche (Worcestershire 1275) evidently a topographic name, perhaps for someone who lived at a spot where boats were hauled up onto the land by means of pulleys, from Middle English winche ‘reel’, ‘roller’. However, Old English wince as an element of place names may also have meant ‘corner’ or ‘nook’, and in some cases the surname may be derived from this sense.
- in examples such as William le Wynch (Sussex 1327) it appears to be a nickname, perhaps from the lapwing, Old English (hleap)wince.
Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4
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