Ffawkes is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Ffawkes family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Ffawkes family lived in Essex. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Vaux, Normandy. [1]
The surname Ffawkes was first found in Essex where Robert de Vals, de Valibus, de Vaux was first listed shortly after the Conquest. [2]
However, the name was scattered throughout early Britain due to their strong Norman ancestry. Aitard de Vaux held estates in Norfolk in 1086 as did Randulph de Vaux in Cumberland. [1]
In part, this was due to the origin of the name "Vaux," a fairly common French place name which is plural of the word "val" which means in English "valley." [2] The "V" and "F" prefix was interchangeable at this time.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ffawkes research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1606, 1605, 1675 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Ffawkes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ffawkes have been found, including Faux, Fawkes, Fauks and others.
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ffawkes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. 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 Ffawkes were among those contributors: Henry Fauks arrived in Pennsylvania in 1871; John Fawkes settled in Virginia in 1739; John Faux settled in Barbados in 1634; Robert Faux settled in New England in 1698.