The name Ferbaourn is part of the ancient legacy of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Ferbaourn was a name used for a person with attractive, youthful looks, or someone who was noted as having been a beautiful child. The surname Ferbaourn is derived from the Old English words fair, which means lovely, and bearn, which means child. However, the name Ferbaourn may also be a
local surname applied to someone from the settlement of Fairbourne in
Kent or Fairburn in the West Riding of
Yorkshire. In this case, Ferbaourn belongs to the large category of
Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
Early Origins of the Ferbaourn family
The surname Ferbaourn was first found in North
Yorkshire at Fairburn, a small village and civil parish in the Selby district that dates back to before the
Domesday Book when it was listed as Fareburne c. 1030. A few years later in 1086, the
Domesday Book lists the placename as Fareburne
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) and literally meant "stream where ferns grow," having derived from the Old English fearn + burna.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Ferbaourn family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferbaourn research.
Another 331 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1327, 1644 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Ferbaourn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ferbaourn Spelling Variations
Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few
hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently,
spelling variations in names are frequently found in early
Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Ferbaourn include Fairbairn, Fairbairns, Fairbarn, Fairborn, Fairborne and many more.
Early Notables of the Ferbaourn family (pre 1700)
Another 22 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ferbaourn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Ferbaourn family to the New World and Oceana
Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in
England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Ferbaourn were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Robert Fairbarn landed in 1763. William Fairbarn joined many of his fellow Fairbarns when he purchased land in Philadelphia in 1835.
The Ferbaourn 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: Nec cede arduis
Motto Translation: Not high yield