Falle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Italy

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Falle family name to the British Isles. They lived in Midlothian. The name comes from the Old English word fall, which, strangely, could indicate someone who lived near either a waterfall or a meadow. Another derivation suggests that the name is a local reference to the area of Falaise, Normandy. Time has confused the two derivations, and it is now extremely difficult to tell which is appropriate in a given case. 1

Early Origins of the Falle family

The surname Falle was first found in Midlothian where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

The Falle variant is now native to Jersey in the Channel Islands, but was originally from Lancashire where Gilbert de la Falle was recorded in the Assize Rolls of 1263. William de Fall was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1255 in Oxfordshire and Geoffrey del Falles was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297. 1

The Fallas or Fallis variant dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first recorded by William de Faleise, de Falisia in Wiltshire. 2

Early History of the Falle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Falle research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1421, 1453, 1567, 1656, 1694, 1736 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Falle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Falle Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Falla, Fala, Falle, Falls, Fallows, Fallis and many more.

Early Notables of the Falle family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Philip Falle (1656-1742) was a clergyman and historian of Jersey...

Falle migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Falle or a variant listed above:

Falle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Elias Thomas Marche Falle, who settled in New York sometime between 1843 and 1871

Falle 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:

Falle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Louisa Falle, aged 16, a housekeeper, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Falle (post 1700) +

Bertram Falle (1859-1948), 1st Baron Portsea, a Jersey-born barrister and politician
Al Falle (1943-2022), Canadian politician, Member of the Yukon Legislative Assembly from 1978 to 1985
Sir Samuel "Sam" Falle (1919-2014), British diplomat and decorated Royal Navy officer, Ambassador to Kuwait and Sweden, and High Commissioner to Singapore and Nigeria
Philip Falle (1885-1936), British Olympian who represented Great Britain at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Natasha Falle (b. 1974), Canadian human rights activist and professor at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)