Show ContentsFellowes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the name Fellowes begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a friend or comrade. The surname Fellowes originally derived from the Old English word Feolaza which affectionately meant "partner" or "shareholder." As a surname, it was likely taken on by a member of a trade guild.

"Besides its more proper meaning of ' companion,' the word Fellow is used in some dialects to signify a young unmarried man, or a servant engaged in husbandry. Chaucer uses the phrase 'a proper felawe' to denote a well-formed young man." [1]

Early Origins of the Fellowes family

The surname Fellowes was first found in Huntingdon. However another branch of the family was later found at Shotesham in Norfolk. "Shotesham Park, the seat of Robert Fellowes, Esq., is a handsome mansion, erected by the late Mr. Fellowes, near the site of the ancient Hall, which was surrounded with a moat. " [2]

Walter Felagh was one of the first records of the family. He was listed in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1256. Robert le Felagh was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327. [3] John Felagh was listed in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year's reign of Edward III.) [4]

Early History of the Fellowes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fellowes research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1820 and 1910 are included under the topic Early Fellowes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fellowes Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Fellowes are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Fellowes include: Fellow, Fellows, Fellowes, Felloe and others.

Early Notables of the Fellowes family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Fellowes of Ramsey Abbey


United States Fellowes migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Fellowes or a variant listed above:

Fellowes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William and Samuel Fellowes, who arrived in Boston Massachusetts in 1630
  • William Fellowes, who landed in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1635 [5]
Fellowes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • D A Fellowes, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 [5]

Australia Fellowes migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Fellowes Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Fellowes, (b. 1777), aged 26, British convict who was convicted in Kent, England for life for robbery, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1803 [6]

New Zealand Fellowes 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:

Fellowes Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George R. Fellowes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 16th December 1881 [7]
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Fellowes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 16th December 1881 [7]
  • Mr. Arthur Fellowes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 16th December 1881 [7]
  • Mr. Frederick Fellowes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 16th December 1881 [7]
  • Mr. Robert Thomas Fellowes, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "May Queen" arriving in Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand on 16th December 1881 [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Fellowes (post 1700) +

  • Robert Fellowes (1771-1847), English philanthropist; his father was the eldest son of William Fellowes of Shottesham Hall, Norfolk [8]
  • James Fellowes (1710-1730), English portrait-painter, known for portraits of eminent clergymen of his time [8]
  • Colonel James Fellowes FRAS (1841-1916), English soldier and amateur cricketer
  • Halford Fellowes (1906-1985), English Major General
  • Edmund Horace Fellowes (1870-1951), English musicologist
  • Sir William Fellowes, Agent of the Queen at Sandringham Castle from 1936-64
  • James Herbert Fellowes (1849-1935), birth name of James Herbert Benyon, British Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire (1901–1935), Chancellor of the University of Reading (1926–1935)
  • Thomas Fellowes (1778-1853), British officer of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars [8]
  • William Henry Fellowes (1848-1925), 2nd Baron de Ramsey, a British Conservative politician
  • Captain Eric William Edward Fellowes (b. 1887), 3rd Baron Ailwyn, a British peer, the son of Ailwyn Edward Fellowes
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Alfred J. Fellowes (d. 1912), aged 29, English Boots from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Mackay-Bennett [9]


The Fellowes 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: Patientia et perseverantia cum magnanimitate
Motto Translation: Patience and perseverance with magnanimity.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. 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)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  8. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
  9. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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