Show ContentsFerniwalls History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Ferniwalls arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ferniwalls family lived in Lincolnshire. Their name, however, is not a reference to this area, but to their place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Fourneville in Calvados, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Ferniwalls family

The surname Ferniwalls was first found in Lincolnshire where "the best authorities state that the first of this name, known in England, was Girard de Furnival, who came over from Normandy, temp. Richard I., and accompanied the crusade to the Holy Land. It is impossible to reconcile this fact with the entry on the Battle Roll. " 1

Early History of the Ferniwalls family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferniwalls research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1250 is included under the topic Early Ferniwalls History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferniwalls 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 Furnival, Furnivall, Furniwal, Furniwall and many more.

Early Notables of the Ferniwalls family

More information is included under the topic Early Ferniwalls Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ferniwalls 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 Ferniwalls or a variant listed above were: Richard Furnwall and Samuel Furnwall arrived in Philadelphia in 1876.



  1. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.


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