Show ContentsFourzer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient and distinguished surname Fourzer is of Old English origin. It is derived from "fosseg," meaning "dweller by the low-lying land near a dyke."

Early Origins of the Fourzer family

The surname Fourzer was first found in Durham, where the family was anciently seated as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed, but Saxon surnames survived and the name was first referenced in the 13th century, when the family held estates in that county.

Early History of the Fourzer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fourzer research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1650, 1679, 1681, 1683 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Fourzer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fourzer Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Fourzer include Forser, Forzer, Fouser, Fourzer, Forcer, Forsar, Forzar, Fousse, Foussard, Fors, Forse, Forsberg, Fosse, Forsey, Forsay and many more.

Early Notables of the Fourzer family

Distinguished members of the family include Francis Forcer the Elder (1650?-1705?), an English composer. He " is mentioned by Hawkins as the writer of many songs, five of which may be found in Playford's 'Choyce Ayres and Dialogues,' bk. ii. 1679, one in the edition of 1681, and...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fourzer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fourzer family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fourzer or a variant listed above: Jeremiah Forsey, who settled in Maryland in 1658; Robert Forsay, who was granted land in Virginia in 1691; Eliza Forse, a bonded emigrant from London to Maryland in 1743.



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