Fownes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Fownes family

The surname Fownes was first found in Devon where they held a family seat 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 family name was first referenced in the 12th century when they held estates at Plymouth. They are believed to have been originally from Saxby Saphy in Worcestershire about 1000 A.D.

Early History of the Fownes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fownes research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1142, 1149, 1162, 1172, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1538, 1560, 1600, 1610, 1625, 1673, 1697 and 1708 are included under the topic Early Fownes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fownes Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Fownes include Fowns, Fownes, Vownes, Faun, Faunce, Vaunce, Vaun, Fones, Foynes, Voynes, Phones, Phowns and many more.

Early Notables of the Fownes family

Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fownes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fownes family to Ireland

Some of the Fownes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fownes migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Fownes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Fownes, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Fownes (post 1700) +

Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville GCB, GBE, DSO (1882-1949), Scottish-born, Royal Navy Admiral

Citations +

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)