Show ContentsFirnivals History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Firnivals was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Firnivals 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 Firnivals family

The surname Firnivals 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 Firnivals family

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

Firnivals Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Furnival, Furnivall, Furniwal, Furniwall and many more.

Early Notables of the Firnivals family

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

Migration of the Firnivals family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Firnivals or a variant listed above: 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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