Show ContentsFeilden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Feilden first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the fields having derived from the Old English word feld, which meant field. This is a "well-known Lancashire surname." 1

Early Origins of the Feilden family

The surname Feilden was first found in Lancashire at Witton, a township, in the parish, union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Blackburn. "Witton House, an elegant stone edifice, is the seat of Joseph Feilden, Esq.; it is picturesquely situated, and surrounded by a finely-wooded park of 500 acres." 2

Early History of the Feilden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Feilden research. Another 166 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1567, 1574, 1592, 1594, 1620, 1784, 1811, 1849, 1875 and 1884 are included under the topic Early Feilden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Feilden Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Feilden has appeared include Fielden, Feilden, Fieldon, Feildon, Feelden, Feeldon, Pheldon, Phelden and many more.

Early Notables of the Feilden family

Distinguished members of the family include Randle Feldon or Fielden who died in 1594. John Fielden (1784-1849), M.P. for Oldham, was born 17 Jan. 1784 at Lane Side, Todmorden, where his father, originally a yeoman, had about the time of his birth begun cotton-spinning on a very limited scale. As a boy he worked in his father's factory, and in after years often referred to the exhaustion caused by his daily toil. He was educated sufficiently to become at seventeen a teacher in a Sunday school. His father was a Quaker and a Tory, but Fielden...
Another 95 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Feilden Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


New Zealand Feilden migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Feilden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. G. Feilden, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Tongariro" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in 1887 3


The Feilden Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtutis praemuim honor
Motto Translation: Praise is the prize of honor.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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