Foile History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe surname is believed to be derived from the French "fouille," which means "an excavation." Early Origins of the Foile familyThe surname Foile was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat from ancient times, some say they were granted lands by William the Conqueror after his conquest of England in 1066. One of the first of this name in records is Henry de Foyle, recorded in 1249 in the Assize Rolls for Wiltshire. Early History of the Foile familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foile research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1327 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Foile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Foile Spelling VariationsNorman 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 Foyle, Foile, Foille, Foylle and others. Early Notables of the Foile familyMore information is included under the topic Early Foile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Foile familyMany 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 Foile or a variant listed above: William Foyle, who was an immigrant in bondage, who arrived in Virginia in 1774, Edward Foyle who settled in Philadelphia in 1836, Samuel Foyle, who settled in Philadelphia in 1873, Thomas Foyle and his wife Judith Sally Foyle, who came to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1827, as well as John Foyle, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1877..
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