Fault History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Scotland
Ireland

The name Fault was first used in the ancient Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. It indicates that the first bearer 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 Fault family

The surname Fault 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 Fault family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fault 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 Fault History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fault Spelling Variations

Medieval spelling was at best an intuitive process, and translation between Gaelic and English was no more effective. These factors caused an enormous number of spelling variations in Dalriadan names. In fact, it was not uncommon to see a father and son who spelled their name differently. Over the years, Fault has been spelled Faulds, Fawls, Fauldis, Fauls and others.

Early Notables of the Fault family

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

Migration of the Fault family to Ireland

Some of the Fault 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.

Migration of the Fault family

Many of the ancestors of Dalriadan families who arrived in North America still live in communities along the east coast of Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence many of the original settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the ancestors of many Scots began recovering their collective national heritage through Clan societies, highland games, and other patriotic events. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fault or a variant listed above: Joseph Faulds purchased land in Georgia in 1735. Alexander joined other transplanted Scotsmen in Philadelphia in 1834. Over the next fifty years the Faulds family surname was included among those who made the long trek to San Francisco..

The Fault 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)