Filwood History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Filwood family

The surname Filwood was first found in Lancashire at Fulwood, "for many generations the seat of the family." 1 However, another source claims that the family is from Fulwood, "an ecclesiastical district in the parish of Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire This seems to have been the habitat of the family." 2

And another source claims that family is from the West Riding of Yorkshire were Adam de Foulewode was first listed in 1326. 3

Indeed, this latter source may point us in the correct direction as the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Hugo de Folewode, taylour; Ricardus de Folewod; and Hugo de Fulewode as all holding lands there at that time. 2

In an attempt to clear up the confusion, we explored the origin of the place name Fulwood. It is derived from the Old English words "ful" + "wudu." The oldest place was in Lancashire where it was recorded as Fulede in 1199, followed by Folewode, Nottinghamshire in the 13 century. 4

Early History of the Filwood family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Filwood research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1167, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1562, 1563, 1589, 1590, 1600, 1606, 1624 and 1643 are included under the topic Early Filwood History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Filwood Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Filwood has been recorded under many different variations, including Fullwood, Fullward, Fulwood, Fulward, Filwood, Folward, Folwood, Foulwood, Filward, Fillward and many more.

Early Notables of the Filwood family

Distinguished members of the family include Christopher Fulwood (1590?-1643), English Royalist, probably born in London about 1590, the eldest son of Sir George Fulwood, Lord of the Manor of Middleton by Youlgrave, Derbyshire...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Filwood Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Filwood family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Filwood or a variant listed above: John Fulwood, who arrived in Virginia in 1623; George Fullwood, who settled in Barbados in 1635; John Fullwood, who came to New York in 1637; Samuel Fulwood, who settled in Barbados in 1701.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)