Finchem History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Finchem

What does the name Finchem mean?

The name Finchem reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Finchem family lived in the parish of Fincham in Norfolk. The name of this place derives from the Old English word finc, which means finch, and ham, which means homestead. 1

The Domesday Book of 1086 lists this parish as P(h)incham. 2

Early Origins of the Finchem family

The surname Finchem was first found in Norfolk at Fincham. 3 Early rolls list Nigellus de Fincham, Norfolk, temp. William II; William de Fincham, Norfolk, 52 Henry III; and Thomas de Fincham, Norfolk, 22 Edward III. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: John de Fincham, Norfolk; and Walter de Fincham, Norfolk. 5

Robert de Fincheham was listed in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1202 and later, John de Fincham was found in Berkshire in 1305. Gilbert Fycheham was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1394. 6

One source claims the family was conjecturally descended from Robert Achard, the tutor of King Henry I, who was granted five manors in the county of Berkshire by his liege lord; one of these manors being Finchamstede or Finchamstead. It is believed that Robert's descendants in that manor became the Lords of Fincham.

Later, "the Finchams of Fincham Hall, Norfolk, owned property in Brantham, Suffolk, in the 16th century." 7

Early History of the Finchem family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Finchem research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1582 is included under the topic Early Finchem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Finchem Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Finchem family name include Fincham, Finchamsted, Finchamstead, Finchem, Finshaw, Finsher and many more.

Early Notables of the Finchem family

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

Migration of the Finchem family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Finchem family to immigrate North America: William Fincham who arrived in Barbados in 1685 from whence he moved to Jamaica and thence to the mainland.

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. 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)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.