| ![Show Contents]() Fenwicke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The lineage of the name Fenwicke begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in Fenwick, which was in Northumberland and in the West Riding of Yorkshire. This habitation name was originally derived from the Old English fenn, which means marsh and wic, which literally means a dairy farm. In this case the original bearers of the surname Fenwicke lived in marshy area where they was a dairy farm. "Fenwick Tower was the seat of the ancient family of the same name, so numerous in Northumberland; and so continued till 1688, when Sir John Fenwick alienated his estates for the sum of £20,000." 1 Early Origins of the Fenwicke familyThe surname Fenwicke was first found in Northumberland where the family held a family seat at Stamfordham from ancient times. "The church [at Stamfordham], erected about the 13th century, is in the early English style, and stands west of the market-cross; the chancel was built by the Fenwicks, of Fenwick Tower, and contains several monumental inscriptions to that ancient family and the Swinburnes." 1 "In pulling down the remains of Fenwick Tower here, in 1775, several hundred gold nobles, of the coinage of Edward III., were found in an open stone chest, supposed to have been concealed in 1360 on the invasion of David, King of Scotland, who made prisoners the two sons of Sir John Fenwick, then owner of the castle." 1 Over in Blagdon, another branch of the family was found and held estates for some time. "This place, which lies on the south side of the Blyth, was formerly called Blakedene, and was part of the ancient barony of Morpeth: the family of Fenwick flourished on the spot for three centuries, the 15th, 16th, and 17th." 1 Further to the north in Scotland, the name is from "the village of Fenwick in the parish of the same name in Ayrshire. " 2 The earliest record of the family was Nicholaus Fynwyk who was provost of Ayr in 1313. Later, Reginald de Fynwyck or Fynvyk appears as bailie and alderman of the same burgh in 1387 and 1401. Interestingly, there is one listing of the family with the lower case "ff" prefix: "Robert de ffenwic who witnessed a confirmation charter by de Vmframvilla to the Abbey of Kelso c. 1220." So as to tie this family with the aforementioned Northumberland entry, we found the following: "The Border Clan of Fenwicks, were most probably kin to the Fenwicks or Fenwykes of Northumberland who took their name from their ancient castle near Stamfordham. " 2 Early History of the Fenwicke familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fenwicke research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1313, 1570, 1578, 1589, 1593, 1603, 1617, 1618, 1624, 1640, 1644, 1645, 1646, 1647, 1648, 1654, 1657, 1658, 1662, 1670, 1675, 1676, 1683, 1688, 1689, 1690, 1694, 1695, 1697, 1701, 1710, 1722 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Fenwicke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fenwicke 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 Fenwicke has undergone many spelling variations, including Fenwick, Fenwicks, Fennick, Fenwicke and others. Early Notables of the Fenwicke familyDistinguished members of the family include - William Fenwick, Sheriff of Northumberland in 1578 and 1589; Sir John Fenwick, 1st Baronet (c.1570-c.1658), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1624 and 1648, s...
Migration of the Fenwicke 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 Fenwicke were among those contributors: Cuthbert Fenwick who settled in Virginia in 1634; George Fenwick settled in Connecticut in 1640; John Fenwick with his wife and three daughters settled in Delaware in 1675.
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: Toujours fidele
Motto Translation: Always faithful.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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