Elizabeth Widdrington was the daughter of Shalcros Fitzherbert Widdington and his wife, daughter of James Hugh Smith-Barry of Marbury Hall.

The Widdringtons of Hauxley were a branch of the ancient House of Widdrington of Widdrington Castle, extinct after William, 4th Baron Widdrington, who died in 1743. Nathaniel Widdrington who was the last male descendant died without issue in 1780, leaving his entire estate to his three nieces but requested they comply to his request to adopt the name Widdrington, thus re-establishing the Northumberland branch.