Fancher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Fancher family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living at Fanshawe Gate Hall in the county of Derbyshire. 1

Another source notes that name was derived from "fane, a temple or church, and shaw, a small wood or grove, a thicket—the church in the grove." 2

Early Origins of the Fancher family

The surname Fancher was first found in Derbyshire. The family held high distinction at Fanshawe Gate from early times. This was the site where Thomas Fanshawe (1533-1601), the Queen's Remembrancer and his descendants hailed.

Earlier John ffawnchall, Fanshawe was listed here in 1490. 1

Very little is known of the earlier lineage apart from the fact that he was the eldest son of John Fanshawe of Fanshawe Gate and had an uncle name Henry Fanshawe. In addition to Fanshawe Gate, he held estates in Ware Park, Hertfordshire and Jenkins, in Barking, Essex; presumably some were inherited through the family.

Early History of the Fancher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fancher research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1533, 1569, 1596, 1601, 1608, 1616, 1621, 1625, 1661, 1665, 1666 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Fancher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fancher Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Fancher include Fanshaw, Fanshawe and others.

Early Notables of the Fancher family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Fanshawe (1533-1601), English Remembrancer of the Exchequer; Sir Henry Fanshawe (1569-1616), an English Remembrancer of the Exchequer; Thomas Fanshawe, 1st Viscount Fanshawe KB (1596-1665), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1661, supporter of the Royalist cause in the...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fancher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fancher Ranking

In the United States, the name Fancher is the 5,066^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Fancher migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fancher or a variant listed above:

Fancher Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

M. Fancher, aged 33, who settled in America, in 1896
Hercsia Fancher, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1897

Fancher Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Olivier Fancher, aged 62, who settled in America from Montreal, in 1906
Virginie Fancher, aged 57, who immigrated to the United States from Montreal, in 1906
Mrs. Fancher, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1907
Bertram Fancher, aged 41, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Bertha Fancher, aged 31, who settled in America from Stranrale Pk., Sussex, England, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Fancher (post 1700) +

Frederick Bartlett Fancher (1852-1944), American politician, the seventh Governor of North Dakota
Louis D. Fancher (1884-1944), American World War I poster artist and illustrator
Jane S. Fancher (b. 1952), American science fiction and fantasy author and artist
Hampton Fancher (b. 1938), American actor, producer and screenwriter in the late 1970s

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/