Fitchie is a name whose history is entwined with the ancient
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name for a person of
iron point which may have been made in reference to a soldier or warrior. The surname Fitchie originally derived from the Old English word
Fiche which referred to
iron point. One source claims that the name could have been Norman in origin from "Fitz or Le Fils."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X) And another claims the name was from "the
Flemish, Vits; a personal name."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print. At times, sources disagree as to the origin of a surname. This is one of those names. Regardless of the aforementioned origins noted above, Harrison and Lower, two reputable authors on the study of surnames note the name could have been derived from a nickname, as in the "polecat" from the Middle English word "fitchett" meaning "polecat." [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print [4]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. Conversely Reaney, another noted author notes "the common derivation of Fitch and Fitchett from the polecat is untenable." [5]CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X) In this case, we agree with the latter author who postulates the name was derived from Fiche, "iron point."
Early Origins of the Fitchie family
The surname Fitchie was first found in
Essex where "the name has long been established."
[6]CITATION[CLOSE]
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print. However, the
Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list scattered listings of the family by that time: Gilbert Fiz in Cambridgeshire; Walter Fiz in Bedfordshire; and William Fiz in
Somerset.
[7]CITATION[CLOSE]
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Early History of the Fitchie family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fitchie research.
Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1300, 1359, 1398, 1612, 1704, 1638 and 1673 are included under the topic Early Fitchie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Fitchie Spelling Variations
Before the last few
hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations are commonly found in early
Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Fitchie were recorded, including Fitch, Fitchett, Fitchitt, Fittch, Fitche, Fitchet, Fitchit, Fitz, Fitts and many more.
Early Notables of the Fitchie family (pre 1700)
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fitchie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Fitchie family to Ireland
Some of the Fitchie family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in
Ireland is included in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Fitchie family to the New World and Oceana
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from
England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Fitchie family emigrate to North America: Matthew Fitch who settled in Virginia in 1606; fourteen years before the "Mayflower"; Enecha Fitch who purchased land in Virginia in 1624; James and Abigail Fitch who landed in Boston in 1635.
Contemporary Notables of the name Fitchie (post 1700)
- T. James Fitchie, American politician, Delegate to Nebraska State Constitutional Convention, 1864 [8]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Fitchie Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Esperance
Motto Translation: Hope.
Fitchie Family Crest Products
See Also
Citations
- ^ The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- ^ Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- ^ Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- ^ The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html