Filmere History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the name Filmere date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Filmere family lived in Kent, where they took their name from some spot no longer known. However, the etymology of the name can be determined. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English roots fille, which means full or fertile, and mere, a word which meant lake. 1 "This family formerly wrote their name Finmere, Fylmere, Filmour, and Filmor, temp. Edw. III., but of late, Filmer, and were seated at Otterinden in Kent, at a place called Finmore." 2 Early Origins of the Filmere familyThe surname Filmere was first found in Kent where they held a family seat from very ancient times at the manor of Herst, in the parish of Otterden, since the rteign of Edward II." 3 "Filmers belong to a distinguished Kentish family that had its home at East Sutton during the 17th century; some of its members were baronets, and others were sheriffs of the county." 4 Early History of the Filmere familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Filmere research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1622, 1632, 1648, 1653, 1657, 1676, 1683, 1688, 1689, 1707, 1720 and 1755 are included under the topic Early Filmere History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Filmere Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Filmere are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Filmere include: Fillmore, Filmore, Filmer, Filmere, Filmour and others. Early Notables of the Filmere familyDistinguished members of the family include Henry Filmer, a 16th-century English Protestant martyr, one of the Windsor Martyrs, during the reign of Henry VIII; William Fulman (1632-1688), an English antiquary 'the son of a sufficient carpenter'; Sir Robert Filmer (c. 1588-1653), an English political theorist who defended the divine right of... Migration of the Filmere familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Filmere or a variant listed above: John Filmer who settled in Virginia in 1623; Louise Filmer settled in Texas in 1859.
|