Ferand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The earliest origins of the name Ferand date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The name is derived from the given name Farimond. The surname Ferand originally derived from the Old French word Ferrant which meant iron-grey. The surname Ferand was later adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time.

Early Origins of the Ferand family

The surname Ferand was first found in the eastern counties of Norfolk, Cambridge and Oxfordshire and it is from this latter shire that we found the first record of the name: Henry Ferant who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Walter Ferrant was listed in the same census but was found in Cambridgeshire. Finally, the same source lists Benedict Feraunt in Norfolk. 1

Early History of the Ferand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferand research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1564, 1569, 1575, 1580, 1600, 1671 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Ferand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferand Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Ferand include Farrant, Farrand, Farrin, Farrent, Farren and others.

Early Notables of the Ferand family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Richard Farrant (c. 1530-1580), English composer of church music, choirmaster, playwright and theatrical producer who created the Blackfriars Theatre. The date of his first appointment is not known, but he resigned in April, 1564, on becoming Master of the Children of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, of which he is said to have been also a lay vicar and organist. During his tenure of office at Windsor he occupied 'a dwelling house within the Castle, called the Old Commons.'...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ferand Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ferand family to Ireland

Some of the Ferand family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferand migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ferand or a variant listed above:

Ferand Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Andrew Ferand, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1797

Ferand Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Benjamin Ferand, who arrived in New York in 1812 but moved on to Philadelphia in 1815
George Ferand arrived at Providence Rhode Island in 1823

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)