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![Show Contents]() Firnil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the name Firnil date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Firnil family lived by a fern-covered hill. The name is both a surname and a place-name, and is derived from the Old English elements fearn, for fern, and hyll, the word for hill. 1 Alternatively, another source notes that the surname denotes a "dweller at the Fern Slope or Corner [Old English fearn + heal(h)] for Farnhill." 2 Early Origins of the Firnil familyThe surname Firnil was first found in East Cheshire at Fernhill, or at Farnhill in West Riding of Yorkshire or at Farnell Wood in Kent. Some of the first records of the name include: Richard de Farenhull in 1214; William de Fernhulle in 1263 and Hugh de la Fernhull in 1275; John de Farnhull, listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273; and William atte Farnhulle in 1298. 1 In Scotland, the name was derived from "the lands of Famell in Angus. Between 1214 and 1246 Duncan de Ferneuel witnessed charters by Malcolm, earl of Angus, and a charter of land in the territory of Kerimor to Arbroath Abbey. Meg Fernwale is recorded in Aberdeen, 1408." 3 Early History of the Firnil familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Firnil research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1246 and 1379 are included under the topic Early Firnil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Firnil Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Firnil 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 Firnil include: Farnell, Farnel, Farnall, Farnyll, Farnill and many more. Early Notables of the Firnil familyMore information is included under the topic Early Firnil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Firnil familyMany 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 Firnil or a variant listed above: Robert Farnell purchased land in Virginia in 1623. Mary Farnell also landed in Virginia, later, in 1655.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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England
Scotland
