Withburga

Withburga is a variant of the Old English name Wihtburg, derived from the elements wiht "creature, being" and burg "fortress". It is most famously borne by an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint, Wihtburh (also spelled Withburga or Withburge), who was said to be the youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia. Despite traditional accounts, modern scholars like Virginia Blanton and Barbara Yorke question this royal lineage.

Notable Bearers

Saint Withburga (Wihtburh; died 743) was an East Anglian abbess who founded a convent at Dereham in Norfolk. According to folk tradition, during its construction, the builders were miraculously sustained by milk from two does sent by God. When a local official tried to hunt the does, he was thrown from his horse and killed. After her death, Withburga's body was said to remain uncorrupted when her tomb was opened half a century later, making Dereham a pilgrimage site. The convent no longer exists, but St Nicholas Church stands on its grounds.

• Meaning: "creature fortress", combining Old English wiht (creature) and burg (fortress)
• Type: Variant of Wihtburg
• Usage: Anglo-Saxon
• Regions: East Anglia, historical England