William Edington (d. October 6,
1366) was an English bishop and administrator. He served
as bishop of Winchester from 1346 until
his death, keeper of the wardrobe from
1341 to 1344, treasurer from 1344 to 1356,
and finally as
chancellor from 1356 until he retired from royal administration in
1363. Edington’s reforms of the administration — in
particular of royal finances — had wide-ranging
consequences, and contributed to the English military
efficiency in the early stages of the
Hundred Years' War. As bishop of Winchester he was
responsible for starting an extensive rebuilding of
Winchester Cathedral, and for founding
Edington Priory, the church of which still stands today.
Family Ties
Origins of the Edington Name
The Edington family surname is a place-name that dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Eddington or Edington are places found in Berkshire, Northumberland, Somerset and Wiltshire. It is believed to be derived from the old English personal name, Eadwynn or Eatha and tun, a suffix denoting farm, settlement or town. As with all ancient English name there are spelling variations noted over time. These include Eddington, Edington, Erdington, Eddingtone and many more. The use of the surname was first found in Northumberland where the family was seated from very early times, perhaps even before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
Historical Edington's in England
Edington in America
The Edington Family has so far been traced back to Philip Edington who was born in England in about 1635. Philip is but one of the known immigrant Edington's who came to the colonies in the 17th century. We do not know exactly when he arrived, but it was before his marriage to Abigail Curtis in 1704 in St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Burlington, New Jersey.