De ferrers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The surname is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. The De ferrers family name, derives one of several place names in Normandy, such as Ferriers, in Gastonois, Normandy. The place name in turn, comes from "ferrière," which refers to an "iron works." They were originally a baronial family from Ferrieres, St. Hilary, near Bernai, Normandy. 1 And early records of 1096, show William de Ferres was a chief leader in the Crusade.

Early Origins of the De ferrers family

The surname De ferrers was first found in Staffordshire, where Henry de Fereres of Ferriers-St. Hilaire, Lord of Longueville, Normandy was on record in the Domesday Book of 1086; his castle was at Tutbury, Staffordshire and he had large holdings in Derbyshire, as well as lands in 14 other counties. He was "Domesday commissioner, and the son of Walkelin, Lord of Ferrières St.-Hilaire in Normandy, who was slain during the minority of William the Conqueror. Wace makes him, as 'Henri le Sire de Ferriers,' present at the battle of Hastings." 2

Robert de Ferrers (d. 1139), was a warrior, "the son and heir of Henry de Ferrers [q. v.], the founder of the family. He succeeded his father under Henry I, and is first mentioned in the record of a suit between the abbot of Burton and himself." 2

Other early records include a Henry le Ferrur on record in 1196 in the Curia Regis Rolls for that same county. Said to be descendents of Henry de Fereres, the Norman Ferrers family held the earldom of Derby from 1138 to 1266. 3

Further to the south in the parish of St. Cleather, Cornwall another early branch of the family was found. "Reginald de Ferrar held in East Fenton and West Fenton, several knights' fees of land of the honour of Trematon, which are now East and West hundreds." 4

Early History of the De ferrers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our De ferrers research. Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1062, 1138, 1139, 1190, 1239, 1271, 1279, 1299, 1300, 1325, 1373, 1423, 1445, 1500, 1526, 1548, 1549, 1555, 1564, 1572, 1579, 1580, 1590, 1592, 1606, 1633, 1637, 1729, 1890 and 1899 are included under the topic Early De ferrers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

De ferrers Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the De ferrers family name include Ferris, Ferres, Ferries, Ferras, Farris, Farriss, Faries, de Ferrers, Ferriers, Ferrer and many more.

Early Notables of the De ferrers family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Nicholas Ferrar (1592-1637), English theologian, the third son of Nicholas Ferrar, a London merchant, by his wife Mary, daughter of Laurence Wodenoth of Savington Hall, Cheshire. His father ranked high among the merchants of London, and was interested in the adventures of Hawkins, Drake...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early De ferrers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the De ferrers family to Ireland

Some of the De ferrers family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 129 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the De ferrers family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the De ferrers family to immigrate North America: Thomas Ferris, who was on record in Virginia in 1622; Jeffrey Ferris, who came to Boston in 1635; Richard Ferris, who purchased land in 1636 in Virginia.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print