Show ContentsFabens History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Fabens family

The surname Fabens was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat in the year 1184. Fabianus of Cam held estates in that shire at that time. [1] The name has two possible origins: from the ancient personal name, the Latin Fabianus; [2] and from the Latin Fabius, Faba, a bean-the bean-man, so called from his success in cultivating beans. [3]

Other early records of the family include: Willelmus filius Fabiani, identical with William Fabian in the Curia Regis Rolls of Essex in 1220; and William Fabien from Norfolk, 1231-1253. [1]

Early History of the Fabens family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fabens research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1553, 1593, 1582, 1526, 1506, 1512, 1493, 1496, 1498 and 1503 are included under the topic Early Fabens History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fabens Spelling Variations

Fabens has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Fabian, Fabyan, Fabien, Fabyn, Fabyen and others.

Early Notables of the Fabens family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Fabyan (died c.1512), a London draper, Sheriff and Alderman, and author of Fabyan's Chronicle. He "came of a respectable family in Essex. We gather from his will that his father's name was John, and his mother's Agnes. It would seem that he followed his father as a clothier in London, where he became a member of the Draper's Company and alderman of the ward of Farringdon Without. In 1493 he held the office of sheriff, and in 1496 was one of a committee appointed to lay before Henry VII the grievances of the London...
Another 101 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fabens Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Fabens migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Fabenss to arrive on North American shores:

Fabens Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Fabens Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • C Fabens, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 [4]

Contemporary Notables of the name Fabens (post 1700) +

  • Samuel E. Fabens, American politician, U.S. Consul in Cayenne, 1857-67 [5]
  • Joseph W. Fabens, American politician, U.S. Consul in Cayenne, 1844-53 [5]


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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