Show ContentsFurlough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish already had a system for creating hereditary surnames established when the followers of Strongbow settled in eastern Ireland. Although there was relatively little friction between the two systems because they operated according to very similar principles, the Strongbownians frequently used local surnames. In Ireland, local surnames were almost unheard of, but in England they were probably the most common form of hereditary surname. Local surnames, such as Furlough, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. The surname Furlough is derived from living near a field. The surname Furlough is derived from the Old English word furlong, which denoted the length of a field. This word was comprised of the Old English words "furh," which means "furrow," and "lang," which means "long." A furlong was the technical name for a block of strips owned by several different people which constituted the unit of cultivation in the medieval open-held system of agriculture.

Early Origins of the Furlough family

The surname Furlough was first found in Dorset, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Furlough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Furlough research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1242 is included under the topic Early Furlough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Furlough Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Furlough revealed many spelling variations including Furlong, Furlang and others.

Early Notables of the Furlough family

More information is included under the topic Early Furlough Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Furlough migration to the United States +

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Furlough:

Furlough Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary Furlough, aged 50, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
  • John T. Furlough, aged 46, who landed in America, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Furlough (post 1700) +

  • Michael Joe Furlough, American actor and writer, known for Derman (2017), Professor Thompson (2016) and Lazarus (2018)
  • Carroll L. Furlough Jr., American actor, known for Jim Shoe (2016), Game Day (2017) and Shrink (2017)
  • John Furlough, American actor, known for Belladonna (2011)


The Furlough 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: Liberalitas
Motto Translation: Liberty


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