This is a rarely recorded name which is nevertheless, of Olde English pre 7th Century origins and is believed to be topographical and translates as "one who lived by a gate, to a village or town". The development is probably from "ate haecc" but may equally be from "ate wic" which would mean "the dweller at the farm" as in "Gatwick" (The goat farm) or "Cheswick" (The Chesse farm), the spelling having been transposed to mean "of the farm" o'th'wic. Emma Othick was also married at Burnley Parish Church in 1858. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ellen Othick. which was dated 1850, married Jonathan Wright at Burnley Parish Church. during the reign of Queen Victoria, The Great White Queen, 1837 - 1901. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.