Surname: Winsor
This name, with variant spellings Windsor, Winsor, Winser, Winzor, Winzer and Winzar, is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is locational from Winsor in Devonshire, near the mouth of the Yealm, or from Winsor in Hampshire, on Southampton water or Broadwinzar in Dorset. The name was first recorded as "Winlesore" in the 1202 Fine Court Rolls of Devonshire, and the latter was recorded as "Windlesor" in the 1236 Assize Court Rolls of Hampshire. Both places derive their first element from the Olde English pre 7th Century "windels", a windlass (from "windan", to wind), plus "ora", a bank; hence, "landing-place with a windlass". These places are identical in origin with Windsor in Berkshire and Dorset. Locational surnames, such as this, were usually acquired by a local landowner, or by the lord of the manor, and especially by those former inhabitants of a place who had moved to another area, usually in search of work, and were thereafter best identified by the name of their birthplace.
The British Royal Family took the surname Windsor from the Berkshire town in 1917, in lieu of Wettin. An interesting namebearer, recorded in the "Dictionary of National Biography", was Frederick Albert Winsor (1763 - 1830), one of the pioneers of gas lighting, who lighted with gas part of Pall Mall, London in 1804. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Godfrey de Windesor, which was dated 1066, in the Domesday Book of Hampshire, during the reign of King William 1, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, the name Winsor has continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
As we know our own ancesters came from Fordington in Dorchester in the county of Dorset, it is most likely our strand of the name came from Devonshire or Devon as it is now known.
Winsor, lies south of Iveybridge and north east of Yealmpton. near Plymouth.
My ancestors would have lived in Broadwindsor, a place named by the Saxons, they would have taken the name with the introduction of surnames forced by the poll tax of William the conqueror. then moved east to maybe find work or marraige. The name would have changed as the years went by,due to poor education and mis-pronounciation. the next place we have Winzars and Winsors is Dorset, Fordington.
We have a long line of Blacksmiths, the trade being past on from father to son,then in the 1870s Henry, Willoughby, and their sister Mary travelled East again to London, taking up residence in 276 West ferry Rd, 77 Manilla street, and 11 Manilla street, in Poplar, the Isle of Dogs.
Family Tree
Below are the Descendants of John Winzar & John WInzar and Dinah Barnes
John Winzar born around 1710 in Fordington Dorset, a Blacksmith, Married unknown.
Son John Winzar also a Blacksmith, and married to Dinah Barnes, daughter of Richard and Margaret Barnes.
They had 4 children John, Elizabeth, Dinah and Sarah.
On the ninth of May 1801 John took an oath, saying he was in lawful wedlock, and worked all his life at the trade of a blacksmith which he was taught by his father, and rented a house with shop under, the value of ten pounds a year he paid to the church rates for the same. He goes on to say he had lived there about thirteen years, and his father was of the said parish of Fordington and had a house of his own, and paid rates and taxes, the examination ends relating the facts of his wife and children. I believe the purpose of this deed is so John and his family can gain poor money from the church.
John`s son John born 1783 was also a Blacksmith and married Patience Daw daughter of George and Hannah Daw.
Below are the descendents of John Winzar and Patience Daw
www.winzargallery.com
contact: info@winzar.co.uk 
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