Fenour History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Fenour reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Fenour family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Fenour family 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 Fenour family

The surname Fenour 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 Fenour family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fenour 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 Fenour History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fenour Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Fenner, Fenour, Feneur, Veneur and others.

Early Notables of the Fenour 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 Fenour Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fenour family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Fenour name or one of its variants: 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