Finner History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsFinner is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Finner family lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Veneur, Normandy. Odo Fenarius was listed in Normandy (1180-1195). 1 Early Origins of the Finner familyThe surname Finner was first found in Sussex where "Fenn Place in the parish of Worth, co. Sussex, had owners for several generations, called from it atte Fenne, but in the time of Henry VI. the name was changed to Fenner, while a Kentish branch wrote themselves Fenour." 2 "The Fenners in past time seem to have been more numerous on the south side of the Thames. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert le Venur, Lincolnshire; William Venator, Yorkshire; and Geoffrey le Venour, Salop (Shropshire.) 4 Some of the family were also found in the parish of Horley in Surrey from ancient times. "The church contains the effigy of a man in armour, in a recumbent position, his feet resting on a lion; also an ancient brass effigy, under a pointed arch, to the memory of Joanna Fenner." 5 Early History of the Finner familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Finner research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1572, 1575, 1576, 1577, 1587, 1590, 1600, 1612, 1618, 1622 and 1640 are included under the topic Early Finner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Finner Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Fenner, Fenour, Feneur, Veneur and others. Early Notables of the Finner familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Dudley Fenner (c.1558-1587), an English puritan divine who popularized Ramist logic in the English language, one of the first theologians to use the term "covenant of works" to describe God's relationship with Adam in the Book of Genesis. He "was born in Kent, 'heire of great possessions,' and matriculated as a fellow-commoner of Peterhouse 15 June 1575." 6
Edward Fenner (d. 1612), was an early English judge, son of John Fenner of Crawley, Sussex, by Ellen, daughter of Sir William Goring of Burton, was called to... Migration of the Finner familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Finner or a variant listed above: Arthur Fenner who settled in Providence R.I. in 1630; Edward Fenner settled in Virginia in 1654; John Fenner settled in Connecticut in 1630; Rebecca Fenner settled in Boston in 1635..
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