The surname Faversham was first found in Kent at Faversham, a market town and civil parish in the Swale district which dates back to 811 when it was first listed as Fefresham. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the town was known by the modern spelling of Faversham and Faversaham. At that time, Faversaham consisted of 2 salt houses, a mill and was a market town. Nearby was Faversham Abbey, a Cluny style monastery immediately to the north-east of the town. It was founded by King Stephen and his queen, Matilda I of Boulogne, in 1148. The Abbey was the burial place of the founding king and queen. The Abbey was dissolved in 1538 and subsequently most of it was demolished. The Abbey Guest House has survived and it now a private residence. The place name literally means "homestead or village of the smith" from the Old English words faefer + ham. 1
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Early History of the Faversham family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Faversham research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1463, 1465 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Faversham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Faversham Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Feversham, Faversham and others.
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Early Notables of the Faversham family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
Feversham of Faversham
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Migration of the Faversham family
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Faversham or a variant listed above: settlers, who were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled on the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Boston, to Virginia, to Florida, and to the islands..
Contemporary Notables of the name Faversham (post 1700)
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William Faversham (1868-1940), American actor, best known for his performance in "The Importance of Being Earnest" in 1895
England
