Foile History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Foile

The Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland lead by Strongbow introduced the first non-Gaelic elements into Irish nomenclature. These Anglo-Normans brought some traditions to Ireland that were not readily found within Gaelic system of hereditary surnames. One of the best examples of this is the local surname. Local surnames, such as Foile, were taken from the name of a place or a geographical feature where the person lived, held land, or was born. These surnames were very common in England, but were almost non-existent within Ireland previous to the conquest. The earliest surnames of this type came from Normandy, but as the Normans moved, they often created names in reference to where they actually resided. Therefore, some settlers eventually took names from Irish places. Originally, these place names were prefixed by de, which means from in French. This type of prefix was eventually either made a part of the surname, if the place name began with a vowel, or was eliminated entirely. The Foile family originally lived near a pit, an excavation, or a manmade hollow. The surname Foile is derived from the Old French word "fouille," which means "pit." This is a derivative of the verb "fouillir," which means "to dig up" or "to excavate." This pit may have been a lime-pit or clay-pit or a hole in to which refuse was thrown. The surname Foile belongs to the large category of Anglo-Norman habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Foile family

Early History of the Foile family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foile research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Foile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foile Spelling Variations

Names were simply spelled as they sounded by medieval scribes and church officials. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, his name was often spelt in many different ways, explaining the many spelling variations encountered while researching the name Foile. Some of these variations included: Foyle, Foile, Foille, Foylle and others.

Early Notables of the Foile family

More 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 family

The Irish emigration during the late 18th and 19th century contributed to the melting pot of nationalities in North America, and the building of a whole new era of industry and commerce in what was seen as a rich, new land. Ireland'sGreat Potato Famine resulted in the worst economic and social conditions in the island's history. And in response to the hunger, disease, and poverty, during this decade the total number of emigrants to leave for North America rivaled all the previous years combined. Those from this decade that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Research into early immigration and passenger lists has shown many people bearing the name Foile: Edward Foyle who settled in Philadelphia in 1836; Samuel Foyle settled in Philadelphia in 1873; and John Foyle arrived in Philadelphia in 1877.