Show ContentsFarlo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Farlo comes from the family having resided in the region of Fairleigh or Fairley. The surname Farlo is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names.

Early Origins of the Farlo family

The surname Farlo was first found in Shropshire at Farlow, a small village and civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Ferlau 1 and literally meant "fern-covered mound or hill" 2 from the Old English words "fearn" + "hlaw." Traditionally part of Herefordshire, it was part of the hundred of Stottesden. Farlow or Fawler is a chapelry, in the parish of Sparsholt, union of Farringdon, hundred of Shrivenham in Berkshire. 3

Early History of the Farlo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Farlo research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Farlo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Farlo Spelling Variations

Farlo has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Farlow, Farlough and others.

Early Notables of the Farlo family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • James Farlow of Lancashire

Ireland Migration of the Farlo family to Ireland

Some of the Farlo family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Farlo migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Farlos to arrive on North American shores:

Farlo Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joice Farlo, who landed in Virginia in 1648 4


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. 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)


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