Farm History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Farm reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Farm is for a tax farmer. A tax farmer was one who undertook the collection of taxes, tariffs, and such for a fixed sum. 1 The name only refers secondarily to its more literal and obvious connotations of one who worked as a farmer in the modern sense of the word, managing an area of land and growing produce and livestock.

In England, the surname has the expected origin: "a cultivator of the ground" 2 or "one who cultivated a farm." 3

Early Origins of the Farm family

The surname Farm was first found in various counties and shires throughout ancient Britain. To confuse matters, early rolls added the occupation to some entries, thus making research difficult. By example, one of the earliest records was: Robertus Friston, farmer de Parsonage in 1372. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had numerous such entries: Ricardus de Wenteworth, firmarius unius Grauuge; Johannes del Grange, fermour del Grange; and so on. 3

However, in Scotland records are clearer: "Richard Femiarius was juror on inquest at Peebles, 1262; Alan Fermour witnessed instrument signed at St. Andrews, 1391; the land of Andrew Fermour in Perth is mentioned, 1458; and in the following year William Fermore, presbyter, is in record." 1 This clarity may be as a result of the different meaning of the surname there.

Early History of the Farm family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Farm research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1250, 1458, 1480, 1551, 1553, 1586, 1591, 1592, 1599, 1601, 1603, 1619, 1623, 1640, 1648, 1658, 1661, 1685, 1687 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Farm History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Farm Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Farm has been recorded under many different variations, including Farmer, Farmere, Farmers, Fermare and others.

Early Notables of the Farm family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir John Fermor of Easton Neston, Northampton, who was ennobled in 1553, in the presence of Queen Mary. His son, Sir George Farmer, was made a Knight in 1586 in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I
John Farmer was a 'practitioner in the art of Musique' in the latter part of the 16th century, published in 1591 a little tract entitled 'Divers and sundrie waies of two Parts in one, to the number of...
Sir William Fermor, Farmer, Fermour (1623?-1661), was an English Royalist, the eldest son of Sir Hatton Fermor, knt., of Easton Neston, Northamptonshire, by his second wife, Anna, daughter of Sir Will...

Migration of the Farm family to Ireland

Some of the Farm family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Farm migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Farms were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Farm Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Farm, who arrived in Maryland in 1671 4

Farm Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H Farm, aged 35, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1861 4
Alxis Farm, who arrived in Arkansas in 1891 4

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)