The Wadsworth family is a prominent English family that traces its origins to the town of Wadsworth in West Yorkshire. The earliest recorded ancestor of the family is William de Wadsworth, who lived in the 13th century and held lands in Wadsworth and nearby Hebden Bridge. The family rose to prominence in the 16th and 17th centuries, when several members served as members of Parliament, sheriffs, and justices of the peace. The family also had connections to the Puritan movement and the English Civil War. Some of the notable Wadsworths include:

– Henry Wadsworth (1564-1623), a Puritan leader and member of Parliament who opposed King James I and was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

– Christopher Wadsworth (1590-1677), a Puritan minister who emigrated to New England and founded the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts.

– Nicholas Wadsworth (1596-1644), a Puritan preacher and writer who was involved in the founding of Harvard College.

– William Wadsworth (1601-1675), a Puritan soldier and politician who fought in the English Civil War and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I.

– Samuel Wadsworth (1630-1676), a colonial militia leader who died in King Philip’s War.

– Benjamin Wadsworth (1670-1737), a colonial clergyman and educator who served as the president of Harvard College.

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), a poet and professor who is one of the most famous American writers of the 19th century.