Show ContentsFeversham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Feversham family

The surname Feversham was first found in Kent at Faversham, a market town and civil parish in the Swale district which dates back to 811 when it was first listed as Fefresham. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the town was known by the modern spelling of Faversham and Faversaham. At that time, Faversaham consisted of 2 salt houses, a mill and was a market town. Nearby was Faversham Abbey, a Cluny style monastery immediately to the north-east of the town. It was founded by King Stephen and his queen, Matilda I of Boulogne, in 1148. The Abbey was the burial place of the founding king and queen. The Abbey was dissolved in 1538 and subsequently most of it was demolished. The Abbey Guest House has survived and it now a private residence. The place name literally means "homestead or village of the smith" from the Old English words faefer + ham. 1

Early History of the Feversham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Feversham research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1463, 1465 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Feversham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Feversham Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Feversham, Faversham and others.

Early Notables of the Feversham family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Feversham of Faversham

Migration of the Feversham family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Feversham or a variant listed above: settlers, who were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled on the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Boston, to Virginia, to Florida, and to the islands..



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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