Foiles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Foiles

The surname is believed to be derived from the French "fouille," which means "an excavation."

Early Origins of the Foiles family

Early History of the Foiles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foiles research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1327 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Foiles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foiles 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 Foyle, Foile, Foille, Foylle and others.

Early Notables of the Foiles family

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

Migration of the Foiles 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 Foiles 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..