Show ContentsFurnese History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Furnese date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Furnese family lived in the district named Furness on the South coast of Cumberland. Eraly records show the name in Lancashire too. The place name is thought to have Old Norse origins which was usually assigned as a name for a peninsula.

Early Origins of the Furnese family

The surname Furnese was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Furnese family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Furnese research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1658, 1687, 1700, 1701, 1708, 1712 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Furnese History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Furnese Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Furnese are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Furnese include: Furness, Furniss, Furnesse, Furnes, Furnesed, Furnace, Furnice, Furnas and many more.

Early Notables of the Furnese family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Henry Furnese, of Sandwich, Kent

Migration of the Furnese family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Furnese or a variant listed above: Henry Furnace who settled in Philadelphia in 1683 with his wife Katherine and five children; Amy Furness settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1719; Katherine Furnice settled in Pennsylvania in 1772.



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