Fowldes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Fowldes family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living 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 Fowldes family

The surname Fowldes 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 Fowldes family

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

Fowldes 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 Fowldes include Foulds, Faulds, Fowlds, Foulls, Faulls, Fowldes and many more.

Early Notables of the Fowldes family

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

Migration of the Fowldes 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 Fowldes or a variant listed above: 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)