Bywater /ˈbaɪwɔːtər/ is an uncommon English surname of Old English origin and can most frequently be found in the English region of Yorkshire. It is a topographical surname given to those who were situated near a body of water.^[1]

Bywater is an uncommon surname of Old English origin. It is a topographical surname given to those who were situated near a body of water.^[1] The name derives from the merger of the Old English words bi (Middle English: by) and waeter (Middle English: water) to form biwaeter.

Topographical surnames are among the earliest created, because natural and artificial features in the landscape provided easily identifiable and distinguishing names among small communities in medieval England.^[1]

The surname was first recorded by Thomas Bithewater, a witness to a wedding which dates to 1219, in the Yorkshire Assize Rolls.^[1]

It was first recorded in Middle English at the marriage of John Bywater and Eleonar Copgood at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 19 September 1637.^[1]

• Hector Charles Bywater, English naval expert, author and WWI spy
• Hetti Bywater, British actress
• Ingram Bywater, English classical scholar
• Jim Bywater, British actor
• Michael Bywater, English writer
• Richard Arthur Samuel Bywater, recipient of the George Cross
• Ron Bywater, Australian rules footballer
• Stephen Bywater, English footballer
• Terry Bywater, British Paralympic athlete in wheelchair basketball

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Bywater.
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