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![Show Contents]() Foylle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-Normans brought some traditions to Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the local surname. Local surnames, such as Foylle, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in England, but were almost non-existent within Ireland previous to the conquest. The earliest surnames of this type came from Normandy, but as the Normans moved, they often created names in reference to where they actually resided. Therefore, some settlers eventually took names from Irish places. Originally, these place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The Foylle family originally lived near a pit, an excavation, or a manmade hollow. The surname Foylle is derived from the Old French word "fouille," which means "pit." This is a derivative of the verb "fouillir," which means "to dig up" or "to excavate." This pit may have been a lime-pit or clay-pit or a hole in to which refuse was thrown. The surname Foylle belongs to the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Foylle familyThe surname Foylle was first found in Hampshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, some say they were granted lands by William the Conqueror after his conquest of England in 1066, and the name is believed to be derived from the French Fouille, "an excavation." "Though apparently Irish, perhaps through association with the Ulster lough and river and other Irish place-names so called-as a surname Foyle is not Irish in origin, but is derived from the French fouille (excavation) and first appears in mediaeval England as atte Foyle. As Foyle and Foyll it occurs in early Dublin city records at least once in the thirteenth century and quite frequently in the fourteenth, but less often in the fifteenth and sixteenth: throughout that period the family had continuous association with the parish of St. Werburgh's." 1 Early History of the Foylle familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foylle research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Foylle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Foylle Spelling VariationsChurch officials and medieval scribes often simply spelled names as they sounded. As a result, a single person's name may have been recorded a dozen different ways during his lifetime. Spelling variations for the name Foylle include: Foyle, Foile, Foille, Foylle and others. Early Notables of the Foylle familyMore information is included under the topic Early Foylle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Foylle familyIn the 1840s, Ireland experienced a mass exodus to North America due to the Great Potato Famine. These families wanted to escape from hunger and disease that was ravaging their homeland. With the promise of work, freedom and land overseas, the Irish looked upon British North America and the United States as a means of hope and prosperity. Those that survived the journey were able to achieve this through much hard work and perseverance. Early immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Foylle: Edward Foyle who settled in Philadelphia in 1836; Samuel Foyle settled in Philadelphia in 1873; and John Foyle arrived in Philadelphia in 1877.
- MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
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England
Ireland
