Foul History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The lineage of the name Foul begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in the region beside an enclosed pen for animals. The surname Foulds or Faulds is derived from the hamlet of Folds in the parish of Bolton in the northern county of Lancashire. That town's name, in turn, is derived from the ancient term "fold" meaning a sheep enclosure. 1

Alternatively, the name could have been denoted for a ‘Worker at the fold(s) or cattle-pen(s)’, from the Old English ƒalod, later f?ld, Middle English fold. 2

"Foulds is a Lancashire surname, so that we need not be surprised by the pronunciation. " 1

Early Origins of the Foul family

The surname Foul was first found in Yorkshire where Hugh del Foldis was listed at Wakefield in 1275. Later, Adam in le Fold was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Derbyshire in 1327 and John atte Fold was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327. The Subsidy Rolls for Staffordshire include a listing for Adam de Falde in 1332 and in the same year, John del ffald was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Cumberland (Cumbria). 2

Early History of the Foul family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foul research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1530 and 1597 are included under the topic Early Foul History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foul Spelling Variations

Only 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 Foul has undergone many spelling variations, including Foulds, Faulds, Fowlds, Foulls, Faulls, Fowldes and many more.

Early Notables of the Foul family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foul Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foul family

To 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 Foul were among those contributors: Joseph Foulds purchased land in Georgia in 1735; Albion, Alexander, Henry, James, and William Foulds settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1834 and 1866..

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)