Show ContentsFassett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Fassett is derived from an ancient word meaning "fox on a hillside." Fa’side Castle, sometimes known as Fawside, Falside, Ffauside, Fauxside, or Fawsyde, is a 14th century Keep located in East Lothian, approximately 2 miles southwest of Tranent, and two miles southeast of Musselburgh. The castle dates to 1189, when the monks of Newbattle Abbey granted land to Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester to build the castle on the site. Today the privately held castle still stands and includes a Bed and Breakfast for the weary traveler.

Early Origins of the Fassett family

The surname Fassett was first found in East Lothian, at Fawsyde where one of the first records of the name was Aedmundus de Fayeside who witnessed the grant of Tranent church to Holyrood Abbey be Thos filius Swani (c. 1150.) More than a century later, Alan de Fausyde witnessed a grant by Peter de Grame to the Hospital of Soltre before 1238.

Early History of the Fassett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fassett research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1238, 1296, 1332, 1398, 1548, 1553, 1583, 1630, 1789, 1824, 1840, 1845 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Fassett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fassett Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Fassett occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Fawcett, Fawsyde, Faucett, Fallcett, Fawcitt, Faucitt, Fawside and many more.

Early Notables of the Fassett family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Edward Forsett (1553?-1630?), English political writer who obtained from Elizabeth in 1583 a twenty-one years' lease of the manor of Tyburn, Middlesex, at the annual rent of 16l. 11s. 8d. "As a justice of peace he showed himself very active in the examination of those concerned in the Gunpowder plot, and he occasionally took charge of the Tower during the absence of the lieutenant, Sir William Waad. " [1]John Fawcett, born at Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, in 1789, was originally a shoemaker, but abandoned that calling to follow the profession of music in...
Another 213 words (15 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fassett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fassett Ranking

In the United States, the name Fassett is the 7,682nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [2]

Ireland Migration of the Fassett family to Ireland

Some of the Fassett 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.


United States Fassett migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Fassett, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Fassett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Fassett, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1654 [3]

New Zealand Fassett 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:

Fassett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Fassett, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1842
  • Jane Fassett, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1842
  • Joseph Fassett, aged 2, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1842
  • William Fassett, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" in 1842
  • Mr. William Fassett (Fawcett), (b. 1817), aged 25, British brick maker travelling from London aboard the ship "Thomas Harrison" arriving in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on 28th October 1842 [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Fassett (post 1700) +

  • Kaffe Fassett (b. 1937), born Frank Fassett, an American-born artist who is best known for his colourful designs in the decorative arts
  • Jacob Sloat Fassett (1853-1924), American businessman and lawyer, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1905-1911)
  • Cornelia Adele Strong Fassett (1831-1898), American portrait painter, best known for her painting of the Electoral Commission of 1877
  • Francis Henry Fassett (1823-1908), American architect designed and built over 400 homes and buildings in Maine
  • Thomas Fassett, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1882 [5]
  • Kevin A. Fassett, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 2000 [5]
  • John Fassett Jr. (1743-1803), American politician, Justice of Vermont State Supreme Court, 1778-85; Member of Vermont State Legislature, 1781 [5]
  • Jacob Sloat Fassett (1853-1924), American Republican politician, Newspaper editor; Chemung County District Attorney, 1879-80; Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1880, 1892, 1904, 1908, 1916; [5]
  • Amos S. Fassett, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Oneida County, 1843 [5]
  • Albert L. Fassett, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 17th District, 1960 [5]
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Halifax Explosion
  • Miss Margaret May  Fassett (1910-1917), Canadian resident from Woodside, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) [6]


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance


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