Fourth History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the name Fourth date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Fourth family lived at or near a forth, which is an area of the river that is shallow enough to be crossed by wading. The word forth developed into the modern English word ford. 1 Forth is "a well-known river of Scotland; also a village in Lancashire." 2 Early Origins of the Fourth familyThe surname Fourth was first found in Hampshire where an early Latin form of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Bruman de la forda. 3 Later, Eadric æt Fordan was listed as an Old English Byname in Somerset 1100-1130. Reginald de la Forthe was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 for Suffolk. In Sussex, Geoffrey atte Forde was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296. 4 Another source notes that William de la Forde was listed in Kent in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 5 and in Somerset, William atte Forde was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 6 Early History of the Fourth familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fourth research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1379, 1610, 1659, 1660 and 1676 are included under the topic Early Fourth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fourth Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Fourth are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Fourth include: Forth, Forthe, Fourth, Fourthe, Forith, Foryth and many more. Early Notables of the Fourth familyMore information is included under the topic Early Fourth Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Fourth or a variant listed above: Fourth Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
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