WORGAN ? - WORKMAN ? (General)

by Jefff , West London, Middlesex, Thursday, June 13, 2013, 15:41 (4176 days ago) @ slowhands

Good afternoon all,
I found the above WORKMAN PRs too but (eventually) decided they probably wern't the same family as the WORGANS. HOWEVER this conclusion is only based on some reading I've done today, as before today I'd never heard of the Workman surname, I only found their PRs while searching & allowing for spelling variations of Worgan.

Please, do you know from past experiences & research if Workman is considered a derivative of Worgan locally, or have you posted this largely(and quite understandably) as a name for possible lateral-thinking consideration ?.
Thanks.

For what it's worth (unlke many "similar" sites this one seems factually based):

"Last name: Worgan
Recorded in a number of forms including Worg, Worge, Wogan, Worgg, Worgan, Worgen and Worgin, this is a surname of Olde English pre 7th century origins. Although now quite rare in any spelling, it should be preserved as it is one of the few survivors of the ancient names of Britain from the very beginings of the written language. The origination is apparently from the word "gwg or gwgan". This has been translated literally as a frown or scowl, although it is difficult to imagine that such a meaning could possibly have applied fifteen hundred years or more ago. "Names" in those ancient times were given to children to try to ensure that they lived up to the parents wishes, and it is difficult to imagine that "scowl" was one of them! What is certain is that the name was prominent in the Cumbria region of England and this may well be the reason as to why it survived the Norman Conquest of 1066. It was at least a century before Norman rule became accepted in those areas, by which time its political influence had declined. Early examples of recordings include John Wogan of Cumberland in 1292, and in the surviving registers of the diocese of Greater London that of Ursula Worge, who married Richard Harryson at St Giles Cripplegate on July 10th 1595, Alice Worgan, who married Robert Marshon also at St Giles, on December 4th 1610, and Edward Worgin, christened at St Mary Creechurch, on May 6th 1668."

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/worgan#ixzz2W6h0py7A

I've used this site many times and the Worgan name is porbably the most interesting and oldest I've seen.

To me this seems different from

"Last name: Workman
This interesting name derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "weorc" meaning "work", plus "mann", a man, and was a medieval job descriptive term for a skilled worker or artisan. The following quotation from "Promptorium Parvulorum" (Medieval Dictionary) reads "Werkemanne, thay an werk wyth both handys a lyke, - Ambidexter", suggesting that the term may originally have been applied as a nickname to an ambidextrous person. The surname is first recorded in the early 13th Century (see below). The forms le Werkman and le Worcman appear in 1236 and 1273 respectively. In 1307, one Nicholas Workman is recorded in the Close Rolls of Oxfordshire. On October 23rd 1624, the marriage of Margaret Workman and Robert Matthews was entered in the Register of Bath Abbey Somerset. One Alice Workeman married Francis Jackson at St. Dunstan's Church, Stepney, on August 1st 1627, while Daniel Workeman, son of John and Martha Workeman, was christened on October 8th 1650, at St. Botolph without Aldergate, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adwordus Wercman, which was dated 1214, in the "Cartulary of the Priory of St. Gregory, Kent", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. "

Read more: http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/workman#ixzz2W6hF4Tc4

I find the whole subject of surname history very interesting so would appreciate any thoughts, please ?.