Fout History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Fout was recognized on the island as a name for a person with remarkable feet. Nicknames were often used to distinguish a person by a noticeable physical characteristic. In this case the trait may have been very large feet, or feet which were deformed in some way. The name was originally derived from the Old English word fot which meant foot. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from a residence, in other words someone who lived at the "foot of a mountain". For the Footman variation, the obvious occupational origin as a soldier in the infantry applies and not as a domestic servant. 1

Early Origins of the Fout family

The surname Fout was first found in Cheshire where Ernui Fot was listed as an undertenant in the Domesday Book. The same reference lists Godwin Fot in Kent so one can presume that the name was polygenetic. 2

Another branch was found in the parish of Calstock in Cornwall. "The manor of Harwood or Harewood, which had been held under the dutchy of Cornwall by the family of Foote about fourscore years, was purchased in fee under the Land-tax Redemption Act in 1798, by John Pierson Foote, Esq. by whom it was sold to Thomas Bewes, Esq. Harewood House, which was built by Mr. Foote, is a handsome building situated about one mile from the church." 3

"Bodanua or Bodannan, [in the parish of St. Enoder, Cornwall] belonged for some time to the Footes of Lambesso, of whom it was purchased by Johnson Vivian, Esq." 3

Early History of the Fout family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fout research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1450, 1520, 1592, 1646, 1649, 1651, 1652, 1679, 1683, 1687, 1720, 1737, 1744, 1754, 1761, 1766, 1767, 1769, 1777, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1785, 1797, 1810, 1814, 1826, 1833, 1840 and 1867 are included under the topic Early Fout History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fout 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 Foote, Foot, Fouts and others.

Early Notables of the Fout family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Foote, 1st Baronet (1592-1687), English grocer in London, Sheriff of London in 1646 and Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1649. Jesse Foote(1744-1826), the English surgeon, was born at Charlton in Wiltshire in 1744. "He received a medical education in London, becoming a member of the Surgeons' Company, and about 1766 went to the West Indies, where he practised for three years in the island of Nevis, returning in 1769...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fout Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fout Ranking

In the United States, the name Fout is the 14,329^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Fout family to Ireland

Some of the Fout 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.

Fout migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain. 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 Fout or a variant listed above:

Fout Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hans Jung Fout, aged 25, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 5
Jacob Fout, who landed in Maryland in 1740 5
Baldus Fout, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 5

Fout Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Fout, who arrived in Maryland in 1844 5
Henry Fout, who arrived in Maryland in 1844 5

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)