England
IrelandThe present generation of the Faringdon family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the township of Farington located near Penwortham, Lancashire. "In the 10th of Edward III., William de Farington held certain portions of land here, and 14s. rent, in trust for the abbot." [1]
Another source confirms Lancashire as the original homestead for the family as they hail from "Farington, an estate in the parish of Penwortham, co. Lancaster. Farington or Ffarington Hall was the residence of the family from temp. Henry III. till the year 1549." [2]
Little Faringdon, located in Oxfordshire, dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Faerndunae c. 971 but by the Domesday Book of 1086, it was known as Ferendone, [3] and literally meant "fern-covered hill." Farringdon is also found in Devon and Dorset while Great Farringdon is markettown and parish in Berkshire. "Here the Saxon kings had a palace, in which Edward the Elder expired (died). The town acquired some celebrity during the war between the Empress Matilda and Stephen, from a castle erected by Robert, Earl of Gloucester, who defended it for the empress with distinguished bravery, until want of provisions compelled him to surrender, on which Stephen levelled it with the ground. " [1]
The surname Faringdon was first found in Lancashire at Farington, a small village and civil parish in the South Ribble local government district. The earliest record of the place name dates back to 1149 when it was listed as Farinton, and literally meant "farmstead where ferns grow" from the Old English words fearn + tun. [4]
William Faryngdon, goldsmith, in 1229, "purchased of Ralph le Feure all the aldermanrie, and the appurtenances, within the city of London and the suburbs of the same, between Ludgate and Newgate, and also within the same gates which Ankeritus de Auene held, during his life, by grant of Thomas Auerne." [5]
In Somerset, Roger Faryndon was listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) [6] William de Farington was listed in Lancashire in 1376 and years later, William de Faryngton was listed in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1402-1403. [7]
The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included a entry for Johannes de Feryngton. [8]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Faringdon research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1279, 1379, 1595, 1608, 1598, 1658, 1609, 1680, 1660, 1679, 1680, 1659, 1640, 1644, 1719, 1681, 1685, 1698, 1701, 1708, 1713, 1306, 1399, 1400, 1647 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Faringdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Faringdon include Farrington, Farringdon, Ferrington, Ferringdon, Farrinton, Ferrinton, Farringtown, Ferringtown, Farington, Ferington, Ferringtowne, Farrintowne, Farringtowne, Ferrintown, Farrintone and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include Sir John Farrington; Anthony Farindon (1598-1658), an English royalist divine; John Farrington (c 1609-1680), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Chichester (1660) and (1679-1680); William Farrington...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Faringdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Faringdon family to IrelandSome of the Faringdon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 236 words (17 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Faringdon were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Edward Farrington, and his wife, Eliza, landed in New England in 1635; with four children; Edmond Farrington settled in Massachusetts in 1638; Edward Farrington settled in Maryland in 1699.
