Show ContentsFeaton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Featon comes from when the family resided in Fitton Hall, in Cambridgeshire. [1] The place-name shows the mark of the Danish influence on England before the Middle Ages. Fitton is derived from the Old Norse word fit, which means field, and the Old English word tun, for farm or fort. It literally means "fort among the fields," and was probably the site of a Danish army camp sometime in the 9th to 10th centuries. [2]

Early Origins of the Featon family

The surname Featon was first found in at Rufford, Lancashire which was an early homestead of the family. "A moiety of this manor appears to have been granted in the reign of Henry I., by Richard Bussel, the second Baron of Penwortham, to Richard Fitun or Fitton. John Fitton, his great-grandson, was also lord of half of Rufford; and the grandson of the latter, by a charter without date, gave the moiety of the town to his daughter Matilda, or Maud. This Matilda married Sir William Hesketh; and by the marriage of Sir William's grandson with the heiress of Edmund Fitton, lord of half Rufford, he became sole lord of the manor, which has since been vested in his descendants. " [3]

"Fitton is an ancient Lancashire name now mostly characteristic of the district of Bury. The Fittons were lords of Great Harwood in the 12th and 13th centuries; and in fact in that early period the name occurred in various forms in the extensive parish of Whalley, such as, Fittun, Fitun, Fitton, Fyton, Phiton, Phitun, etc.: Roger Fitton of Martholm, Harwood, gave a bell to Stanlaw Abbey, apparently in the 16th century (W. W. and A.). The Cheshire Fittons are referred to under that county." [4]

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. Richard ffyton was listed in Lancashire in 1188; Richard Fitun was found in the Pipe Rolls for Warwickshire in 1195; and Alan de Fittun was listed in Cheshire c. 1213. [1]

Early History of the Featon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Featon research. Another 212 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1527, 1548, 1572, 1578, 1579, 1580, 1595, 1600, 1603, 1606, 1607, 1614, 1619, 1630, 1643, 1678, 1687, 1690 and 1698 are included under the topic Early Featon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Featon Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Featon has been recorded under many different variations, including Fitton, Fiton, Fytton, Fyton and others.

Early Notables of the Featon family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Edward Fitton, 1st Baronet (1572-1619); and Sir Edward Fitton (1603-1643), 2nd Baronet, of Gawsworth Hall Cheshire, who died without issue. He had seven sisters but the nearest male was his father. His estates were contested for years, but in the end they were lost from the family.Mary Fitton (fl. 1600), was Maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth, and alleged to be 'the dark lady' mentioned in Shakespeare's sonnets. She was the fourth child and second daughter of Sir Edward Fitton the younger [see above], by his wife, Alice, daughter of Sir John Holcroft. She...
Another 145 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Featon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Featon family to Ireland

Some of the Featon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Featon migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Featon or a variant listed above:

Featon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edward Featon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 [5]
  • Robert Featon, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 [5]
  • Simon Featon, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [5]

Australia Featon migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Featon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Ann Featon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Abberton" in 1849 [6]

New Zealand Featon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Featon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Edward H. Featon, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "African" in 1860
  • John Featon, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "African" in 1860

Contemporary Notables of the name Featon (post 1700) +

  • Sarah Featon (1848-1927), Accomplished botanical artist from New Zealand


The Featon Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vae duplici cordi
Motto Translation: Woe to the deceitful heart


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ABBERTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Abberton.htm


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