Falt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The ancestors of the Falt name date back to the kingdom of Dalriada in ancient Scotland. Falt was a name for someone who lived in the shires of Ayr, Renfrew, Lanark, and Perth, (now part of the Strathclyde region), and there were also lands of East and West Faulds in the lordship of Dudop or Dudhope near Dundee. 1

The surname Faulds is also derived from the Old English word falod, or fold, which indicates that the original bearer of this surname lived by or near an enclosure where cattle were kept. Faulds was also an occupational name for one who worked at the sheep-fold, or for a person who was a shepherd. There is also a place-name Folds in an ancient parish in Bolton, county Lancashire, England. 2

Early Origins of the Falt family

The surname Falt was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

One of the first records of the family is John of Fawls of Leith who imported salmon into London in 1438. Later, Arthur Fauldis held land in Glasgow, 1536, and Archibald Faullis was merchant burgess there, 1642. 1

Early History of the Falt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Falt research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1438, 1536, 1642, 1666, 1672, 1674 and 1684 are included under the topic Early Falt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Falt Spelling Variations

Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents Falt has been spelled Faulds, Fawls, Fauldis, Fauls and others.

Early Notables of the Falt family

More information is included under the topic Early Falt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Falt family to Ireland

Some of the Falt 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.

Falt migration to the United States +

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Falt or a variant listed above:

Falt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anna Falt, aged 31, who arrived in America in 1884 3

The Falt Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Mente manuque praesto
Motto Translation: Ready with heart and hand.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)