Foules Surname History

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Foules was first used as a surname by descendants of the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The ancestors of the Foules family lived in the place called Foulzie in the parish of King Edward in the county of Aberdeen. The surname Foules belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Foules family

The surname Foules was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen at Foulzie. James Fowlie was listed in Bartholl Chapell in 1741. 1 Further to the south in Greenhow in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the Foulis family gained a family seat during the reign of James I. Originally held by the D'Arcys, that family had lost the lands during the reign of Henry VIII when it was reverted to the crown. 2

Nearby, in Ingleby-Greenhow, the family of Foulis bought the lands from the Eures. From this branch , Henry Foulis, the historian and divine, was born at Ingleby manor-house in the middle of the 17th century. "The parish is now almost exclusively the property of Sir William Foulis, Bart., who is lord of the manor. Ingleby manor-house, the seat of Sir William Foulis, is a stately mansion of stone, finely situated on an eminence; it contains some oak carvings, and an ancient portrait of Queen Elizabeth." 2

Early History of the Foules family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foules research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1198, 1248, 1295, 1305, 1422, 1429, 1469, 1486, 1552, 1626, 1629, 1634, 1638, 1645, 1654, 1669, 1688, 1711 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Foules History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foules Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Foules has appeared Fowlie, Fowley, Fowlis, Foulis and others.

Early Notables of the Foules family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir James Foulis, Lord Colinton (d. 1688), a Scottish judge; and his eldest son, James Foulis, Lord Reidfurd (1645?-1711), a Scottish judge; Henry Foulis (1638-1669), an English academic theologian and controversial author; Sir Alexander Foulis, made a Baronet June 7th 1634; Sir David Foulis, 1st Baronet Foulis was Custos Rotulorum (keeper of...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foules Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foules family to Ireland

Some of the Foules family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foules migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Foules:

Foules Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Foules, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 3

Foules Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Foules, who arrived in Virginia in 1750 3

Citations +

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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)