Fountian History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Fountian is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Fountian family lived near a spring or well which was in turn derived from the Old French word fontane, which means spring or well. Fountian is a topographic surname, which is a type of surname that was given to a person who resided near a landmark such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.

John Pherd (died 1225), Bishop of Ely, properly called John of Fountains, was a Cistercian monk of Fountains, and was chosen ninth abbot of his house in December 1211. 1

Early Origins of the Fountian family

The surname Fountian was first found in Norfolk at Harford, a parish, in the union of Swaffham, hundred of South Greenhoe.

"Narford Hall was built by Sir Andrew Fountaine, vice-chamberlain to Queen Caroline (consort of George II.), and the companion of Pope, Swift, and their literary society; he enriched the mansion with a collection of antiquities, paintings, and curiosities, which has been considerably increased by the present proprietor. In the reign of Edward III. Sir Thomas de Narford obtained for it a market and two fairs, long since fallen into disuse." 2

Early History of the Fountian family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fountian research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1430, 1460, 1471, 1554, 1572, 1591, 1600, 1608, 1659, 1660, 1671, 1676 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Fountian History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fountian Spelling Variations

Norman 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 Fountaine, Fountain, Fountayne, Fontain, Fontibus, Ffountain, Ffounteyn, Ffunteyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Fountian family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Andrew Fountaine (1676-1753), an English antiquarian, art collector and amateur architect. He was the eldest son of Andrew Fountaine, M.P., of Narford, Norfolk. 1 John Fountaine (1600-1671), the English jurist, was Commissioner of the great seal of England from (1659 to 1660). He was the son of Arthur Fountaine of Dalling, Norfolk. 1 Arthur Faunt, in religion Laurence Arthur (1554-1591), was an English Jesuit, born in...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fountian Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fountian family

Many 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 Fountian or a variant listed above: Nicholas Fountain who settled in Maryland in 1661; Lewis Fountain settled in Maryland in 1775; Edward Fountaine settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1635.

The Fountian Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vix ea nostra voco
Motto Translation: I scarce call these things our own.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.