Fentom History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe lineage of the name Fentom begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the region of Fenton. The surname Fentom originally derived from the Old English words Fenne and Tun which referred to an enclosed region by a dyke. There are numerous listings of this local name: a township near Carlisle, Cumberland; a chapelry in the parish of Beckingham, Lincoln; and a hamlet in the parish of Kettlethorpe, Lincoln. Early Origins of the Fentom familyThe surname Fentom was first found in Yorkshire where the Gilbert de Fenton was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls included: Robert de Fenton, Lincolnshire; and Thomas de Fenton, Devon. 1 Ralph de Fenton, was Rector of Warham, Norfolk in 1358 2 and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Ricardus de Fenton; Johannes de Fenton; and Robertus de Fenton as all holdings lands there at that time. 1 Early History of the Fentom familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fentom research. Another 38 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1261, 1539, 1565, 1601, 1603, 1608, 1615, 1683, 1694, 1726, 1728, 1730, 1754, 1760 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Fentom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fentom Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Fentom has undergone many spelling variations, including Fenton, Fentun, Fentoun, Fentown, Fentoune and many more. Early Notables of the Fentom familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Sir Geoffrey Fenton (c.1539-1608), English writer and Privy Councillor (government advisor) from Nottinghamshire. His brother Edward Fenton (d. 1603), the English navigator, helped discovery the Northwest passage. They were sons of Henry Fenton of Fenton, in the parish of Sturton (formerly Stretton-le-Steeple), Nottinghamshire, and of Cecily, daughter of John Beaumont of Coleorton, Leicestershire. "Like his brother, Sir Geoffrey Fenton, he sold his hereditary patrimony, preferring the life of a soldier of fortune to the prospect of ending his days in the ignominious ease of his ancestral home." 3Roger Fenton (1565-1615), was born in... Migration of the Fentom family to IrelandSome of the Fentom family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Fentom familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Fentom were among those contributors: Robert Fenton who settled in Virginia in 1606, fourteen years before the "Mayflower"; James Fenton, who purchased land in Virginia in 1623; Henry Fenton, who received a land grant in Virginia in 1638.
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: Gwell angau na gwarth Motto Translation: Death before disgrace.
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