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Fawcett History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Fawcett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Fawcett is derived from an ancient word meaning "fox on a hillside." Fa’side Castle, sometimes known as Fawside, Falside, Ffauside, Fauxside, or Fawsyde, is a 14th century Keep located in East Lothian, approximately 2 miles southwest of Tranent, and two miles southeast of Musselburgh. The castle dates to 1189, when the monks of Newbattle Abbey granted land to Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester to build the castle on the site. Today the privately held castle still stands and includes a Bed and Breakfast for the weary traveler.

Early Origins of the Fawcett family

The surname Fawcett was first found in East Lothian, at Fawsyde where one of the first records of the name was Aedmundus de Fayeside who witnessed the grant of Tranent church to Holyrood Abbey be Thos filius Swani (c. 1150.) More than a century later, Alan de Fausyde witnessed a grant by Peter de Grame to the Hospital of Soltre before 1238.

Early History of the Fawcett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fawcett research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1238, 1296, 1332, 1398, 1548, 1553, 1583, 1630, 1789, 1824, 1840, 1845 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Fawcett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fawcett Spelling Variations

The name Fawcett, appeared in many references, and from time to time, the surname was spelt Fawcett, Fawsyde, Faucett, Fallcett, Fawcitt, Faucitt, Fawside and many more.

Early Notables of the Fawcett family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

John Fawcett, born at Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, in 1789, was originally a shoemaker, but abandoned that calling to follow the profession of music in his native town. He composed three sets of Psalm...
His third son, John Fawcett, jun., Mus. Bac., was born about 1824, and when only eleven years old obtained the appointment of organist at St. John's Church, Farnworth. Seven years later he succeeded a...

Fawcett Ranking

In the United States, the name Fawcett is the 4,802^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Fawcett is ranked the 870^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,848 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Fawcett family to Ireland

Some of the Fawcett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fawcett migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned as many of the settlers in Ireland, known as the Scotch/Irish, became disenchanted. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Amongst the early settlers who could be considered kinsmen of the Fawcett family, or who bore a variation of the surname Fawcett were

Fawcett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Adam Fawcett, who landed in Virginia in 1654 3
John Fawcett, who landed in Maryland in 1657 3

Fawcett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Cath Fawcett, aged 21, who landed in New Castle in 1804 3
Sarah Fawcett, who arrived in New York, NY in 1844 3
George Fawcett, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1845 3
Miles Fawcett, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 3

Fawcett migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Fawcett Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Fawcett, who arrived in Nova Scotia with his wife Jane in 1774
Robert Fawcett, aged 30, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1774

Fawcett Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Fawcett, who landed in Prince Edward Island in 1817

Fawcett migration to Australia +

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

Fawcett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Fawcett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Henry Porcher" in 1838 4
Mr. Alfred Fawcett, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5
James Fawcett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1839 6
Jane Fawcett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Hooghly" in 1839 6
Mr. John Fawcett, English convict who was convicted in North Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fawcett 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:

Fawcett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Fawcett, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Thomas Fawcett, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842
Mr. Isaac Fawcett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Albert" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 6th March 1853 8
Mr. William Fawcett, (b. 1839), aged 26, British shepherd travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 9
Mrs. Fanny Fawcett, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th February 1867 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Fawcett (post 1700) +

Farrah Fawcett (1947-2009), American multiple Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominated actress, best known for her role on the television series Charlie's Angels, in 1976
Joy Fawcett (b. 1968), retired American soccer player
Susan Fawcett, American politician, Candidate for University of Michigan Board of Regents, 2002 10
Lewis L. Fawcett (b. 1872), American Republican politician, Chair of Kings County Republican Party, 1901-06; Judge, Kings County Court, 1906-17; Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1918-40; Defeated, 1912 10
James M. Fawcett, American Republican politician, Candidate for Justice of New York Supreme Court 2nd District, 1948 10
James H. Fawcett, American politician, Candidate for burgess of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, 1933; Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 40th District, 1934 10
James C. Fawcett, American politician, Mayor of Grafton, West Virginia, 1971-74 10
Jacob Fawcett (b. 1847), American Republican politician, Jo Daviess County Judge, 1886-87; District Judge in Nebraska, 1896-1904; Justice of Nebraska State Supreme Court, 1908-17; Chief Justice of Nebraska State Supreme Court, 1915 10
Howard B. Fawcett, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1940 10
David B. Fawcett, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 18th District, 1996 10
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Fawcett family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Wright Fawcett, British Seaman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 11

HMS Cornwall

John Christopherson Fawcett, British Sub Lieutenant aboard the HMS Cornwall (1942) when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he survived the sinking 12

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HENY PORCHER 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838HenryPorcher.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HOOGHLY 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Hooghly.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A