Show ContentsFulmore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Fulmore name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Kent, where they took their name from some spot no longer known. However, the etymology of the name can be determined. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English roots fille, which means full or fertile, and mere, a word which meant lake. 1

"This family formerly wrote their name Finmere, Fylmere, Filmour, and Filmor, temp. Edw. III., but of late, Filmer, and were seated at Otterinden in Kent, at a place called Finmore." 2

Early Origins of the Fulmore family

The surname Fulmore was first found in Kent where they held a family seat from very ancient times at the manor of Herst, in the parish of Otterden, since the rteign of Edward II." 3

"Filmers belong to a distinguished Kentish family that had its home at East Sutton during the 17th century; some of its members were baronets, and others were sheriffs of the county." 4

Early History of the Fulmore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fulmore research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1622, 1632, 1648, 1653, 1657, 1676, 1683, 1688, 1689, 1707, 1720 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Fulmore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fulmore Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Fulmore has undergone many spelling variations, including Fillmore, Filmore, Filmer, Filmere, Filmour and others.

Early Notables of the Fulmore family

Distinguished members of the family include Henry Filmer, a 16th-century English Protestant martyr, one of the Windsor Martyrs, during the reign of Henry VIII; William Fulman (1632-1688), an English antiquary 'the son of a sufficient carpenter'; Sir Robert Filmer (c. 1588-1653), an English political theorist who defended the divine right of...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fulmore Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fulmore Ranking

In the United States, the name Fulmore is the 16,940th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Fulmore family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Fulmore were among those contributors: John Filmer who settled in Virginia in 1623; Louise Filmer settled in Texas in 1859.



  1. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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