This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Winter.' The ecclesiastical seasons all made their mark on the font; compare Pentecost, Whitsunday, Noel, Nowell, Christmas, Middlemass (Michaelmas). The natural seasons gave personal names in the same way. 'Summer and Winter are both ancient names; in the Cod. Dip. Alamannioe there are two brothers called respectively Sumar and Winter, A.D. 858. Winter was also the name of one of the companions of Hereward the Saxon' (Ferguson, Surnames as a Science). Although a pre - Norman personal name, Winter survived the Conquest, and attained hereditary honours as a surname in the 13th cent. We may observe here that Winter is compounded with several local surnames, such as Wintersgill, Winterbotham, Winterburn, or Winterflood. Professor Skeat shows that winter means literally the wet season. In these place words we recognize low-lying hollows or streams liable to be flooded by winter rains, although dry in the summer.

Philip Winter, Close Rolls, 48 Henry III.

John Winter. Rolls of Parliament.

Wynter Mariot, Norfolk, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Gelle Winter, Cambridgeshire, ibid.

Emma Wynter. 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

This surname is derived from an occupation. 'the vinter.' the Frenchvmetier, a tavern keeper, a wineseller.

Juliana la Vynetar, Close Rolls, 45 Henry III.

Abellus Vinetar, Bedfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Richard le Viniter, Oxfordshire, ibid.

William le Vineter, Northamptonshire, ibid.

Robert Vyneter, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

William le Vyneter, Somerset, 1 Edward III: ibid.

1682-3. John Farrante, husbandman, and Mary Vinter: Marriage Lic. (London).

1772. Married — William Vinter and Harriott Row: St. George, Hanover Square.

Most probably the Old English personal name Wintra (Birch, CS. 101, A.D. 699) and Uuintra (ibid., 108, A.D. 704), associated in the popular mind with Old English winter, 'winter' (Redin, p. 58). Elsi, son of Winter, had a grant of the lands of Thirlstane from Hugh de Morville before 1162 (Caledonia, I, p. 504). Jop Wyntyr was a charter witness at Yester in 1374 (Yester, p. 26), Thomas Wyntir was bailie of Glasgow in 1447 (LCD., p. 168), John Wyntyr, burgess of Arbroath in 1452 (RAA., II, 94), and George Wynter was a charter witness in Kimmerghame in 1474 (Home, 27). David Wyntyr or Wynter, a citizen of Glasgow in 1487-88, held land there before 1494 (LCD., p. 256; REG., p. 457,487). Robert Wynter, monk of Culross in the middle of the sixteenth century (PSAS., LX, p. 93).

For Winter, q.v.

Probably a contraction of vinitor, a vine-dresser, or of vintner, a dealer in wine. From one of these sources it is probable that Winter is sometimes by corruption derived. Le Vineter. H.R. See Viner.

From Gwinter in St. Keverne; from gwyn-dour, the white or fair water; or gwin-drea, the while town. Hence the surnames Vinter, Finter.

Winter was the name of one of the companions of the Anglo-Saxon Hereward, and Winter and Sommer are both German and modern Danish names. Ferguson thinks Summer and Winter derived from the personification of these seasons in Northern mythology. Others derive Summer and Winter from Sumner and Vintner, and there is the name Vinter.

The Wintours belong to a distinguished Gloucestershire family. Sir William Wintour, who was a famous admiral in the reign of Elizabeth, owned the manor of Lidney or Lydney (A.), where the name still remains.