Fennour History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Fennour family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Sussex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Veneur, Normandy. Odo Fenarius was listed in Normandy (1180-1195). 1

Early Origins of the Fennour family

The surname Fennour was first found in Sussex where "Fenn Place in the parish of Worth, co. Sussex, had owners for several generations, called from it atte Fenne, but in the time of Henry VI. the name was changed to Fenner, while a Kentish branch wrote themselves Fenour." 2

"The Fenners in past time seem to have been more numerous on the south side of the Thames. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert le Venur, Lincolnshire; William Venator, Yorkshire; and Geoffrey le Venour, Salop (Shropshire.) 4

Some of the family were also found in the parish of Horley in Surrey from ancient times. "The church contains the effigy of a man in armour, in a recumbent position, his feet resting on a lion; also an ancient brass effigy, under a pointed arch, to the memory of Joanna Fenner." 5

Early History of the Fennour family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fennour research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1572, 1575, 1576, 1577, 1587, 1590, 1600, 1612, 1618, 1622 and 1640 are included under the topic Early Fennour History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fennour Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Fenner, Fenour, Feneur, Veneur and others.

Early Notables of the Fennour family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Dudley Fenner (c.1558-1587), an English puritan divine who popularized Ramist logic in the English language, one of the first theologians to use the term "covenant of works" to describe God's relationship with Adam in the Book of Genesis. He "was born in Kent, 'heire of great possessions,' and matriculated as a fellow-commoner of Peterhouse 15 June 1575." 6 Edward Fenner (d. 1612), was an early English judge, son of John Fenner of Crawley, Sussex, by Ellen, daughter of Sir William Goring of Burton, was called to...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fennour Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fennour family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Fennour or a variant listed above were: Arthur Fenner who settled in Providence R.I. in 1630; Edward Fenner settled in Virginia in 1654; John Fenner settled in Connecticut in 1630; Rebecca Fenner settled in Boston in 1635..

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print