Farrands History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of FarrandsWhat does the name Farrands mean? The Farrands family name is linked to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from the given name Farimond. The surname Farrands originally derived from the Old French word Ferrant which meant iron-grey. The surname Farrands was later adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. In Old English, patronyms were formed by adding a variety of suffixes to personal names, which changed over time and from place to place. For example, after the Norman Conquest, sunu and sune, which meant son, were the most common patronymic suffixes. In the 12th and 13th centuries, the most common patronymic names included the word filius, which meant son. By the 14th century, the suffix son had replaced these earlier versions. Surnames that were formed with filius or son were more common in the north of England and it was here that the number of individuals without surnames was greatest at this time. Early Origins of the Farrands familyThe surname Farrands was first found in the eastern counties of Norfolk, Cambridge and Oxfordshire and it is from this latter shire that we found the first record of the name: Henry Ferant who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Walter Ferrant was listed in the same census but was found in Cambridgeshire. Finally, the same source lists Benedict Feraunt in Norfolk. 1 Early History of the Farrands familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Farrands research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1564, 1569, 1575, 1580, 1600, 1671 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Farrands History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Farrands Spelling VariationsUntil 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 Farrands include Farrant, Farrand, Farrin, Farrent, Farren and others. Early Notables of the Farrands familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Richard Farrant (c. 1530-1580), English composer of church music, choirmaster, playwright and theatrical producer who created the Blackfriars Theatre. The date of his first appointment is not known, but he resigned in April, 1564, on becoming Master of the Children of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, of which he is said to have been also a lay vicar and organist. During his tenure of office at Windsor he occupied 'a dwelling house within the Castle, called the Old Commons.'... Migration of the Farrands family to IrelandSome of the Farrands family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Farrands familyThousands 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 Farrands were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Edward Farrand, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1853; and John Farrant, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1864.
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