Show ContentsFoithay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Foithay is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a keeper of the ford or river crossing. 1

Early Origins of the Foithay family

The surname Foithay was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Bruma de la forda was listed at Winton, Hampshire. 2 Years later in Somerset, Eadric æt Fordan was listed as an Old English Byname, 1100-1130. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Reginald de la Forthe in Suffolk and later, Geoffrey atte Forde was found in Sussex in 1296. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls also included: Richard de la Forde, Norfolk; and William de la Forde, Kent. 4 In Somerset, David atte Forde was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 5

The name is "characteristic of the southern and western counties. Absent or singularly rare north of a line drawn from the Wash to the Mersey. It is at present most numerous in Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hants, and Cheshire. In almost all the counties where this name is at all frequent we find it in one form or another as a place - name." 6

Early History of the Foithay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foithay research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1559, 1586, 1594, 1598, 1615, 1616, 1619, 1640, 1642, 1660, 1662, 1664, 1669, 1674, 1684, 1699, 1804, 1826, 1846, 1847, 1863, 1890, 1905 and 1947 are included under the topic Early Foithay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foithay Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Foithay has appeared include Forde, Ford, Alford and others.

Early Notables of the Foithay family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Ford or Foord (c.1559-1616?), Church of England clergyman, he may have been the same William Ford who became Rector of Thurleigh, Bedfordshire in 1594 or the William Ford who became Vicar of Bristow, Herefordshire in 1615; Thomas Ford (1598-1674), an English...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foithay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foithay family to Ireland

Some of the Foithay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 126 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foithay family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Foithay arrived in North America very early: Charles Ford who settled in Virginia in 1635; John Ford settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1630; Edward, Frederick, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Phillip, Richard, Thomas and William Ford all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865..



  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.


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