| ![Show Contents]() Farrants History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Farrants is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the given name Farimond. The surname Farrants originally derived from the Old French word Ferrant which meant iron-grey. The surname Farrants 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 Farrants familyThe surname Farrants 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 Farrants familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Farrants 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 Farrants History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Farrants Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Farrants has undergone many spelling variations, including Farrant, Farrand, Farrin, Farrent, Farren and others. Early Notables of the Farrants 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.'...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Farrants Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Farrants family to IrelandSome of the Farrants family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Farrants familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Farrants were among those contributors: Edward Farrand, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1853; and John Farrant, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1864.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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