Show ContentsFoots History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Foots

What does the name Foots mean?

The Foots family has descended through the lines of the ancient Normans that came to England following their Conquest of England in 1066. The Foots name reveals that an early member was a person with remarkable feet. Nicknames were often used to distinguish a person by a noticeable physical characteristic. In this case the trait may have been very large feet, or feet which were deformed in some way. The name was originally derived from the Old English word fot which meant foot. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from a residence, in other words someone who lived at the "foot of a mountain". For the Footman variation, the obvious occupational origin as a soldier in the infantry applies and not as a domestic servant. 1

Early Origins of the Foots family

The surname Foots was first found in Cheshire where Ernui Fot was listed as an undertenant in the Domesday Book. The same reference lists Godwin Fot in Kent so one can presume that the name was polygenetic. 2

Another branch was found in the parish of Calstock in Cornwall. "The manor of Harwood or Harewood, which had been held under the dutchy of Cornwall by the family of Foote about fourscore years, was purchased in fee under the Land-tax Redemption Act in 1798, by John Pierson Foote, Esq. by whom it was sold to Thomas Bewes, Esq. Harewood House, which was built by Mr. Foote, is a handsome building situated about one mile from the church." 3

"Bodanua or Bodannan, [in the parish of St. Enoder, Cornwall] belonged for some time to the Footes of Lambesso, of whom it was purchased by Johnson Vivian, Esq." 3

Early History of the Foots family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foots research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1450, 1520, 1592, 1646, 1649, 1651, 1652, 1679, 1683, 1687, 1720, 1737, 1744, 1754, 1761, 1766, 1767, 1769, 1777, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1785, 1797, 1810, 1814, 1826, 1833, 1840 and 1867 are included under the topic Early Foots History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foots Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Foots family name include Foote, Foot, Fouts and others.

Early Notables of the Foots family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Foote, 1st Baronet (1592-1687), English grocer in London, Sheriff of London in 1646 and Lord Mayor of the City of London in 1649.Jesse Foote(1744-1826), the English surgeon, was born at Charlton in Wiltshire in 1744. "He received a medical education in London, becoming a member of the Surgeons' Company, and about 1766 went to the West Indies, where he practised for three years in the island of Nevis, returning in 1769...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foots Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foots family to Ireland

Some of the Foots 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.


Foots migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Foots family to immigrate North America:

Foots Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary Foots, aged 38, originally from County Down, who arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Caledonia" from Londonderry, Ireland 4
  • Andrew Foots, aged 48, who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Pastores" from Havana, Cuba 4
  • Albert Edward Foots, aged 11, originally from New York, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rotterdam" from Boulogne-Sur-Mer, France 4
  • Daniel Foots, aged 21, originally from Belfast, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Cedric" from Liverpool, England 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Foots (post 1700) +

  • Stephen Edward "Steve" Foots (b. 1968), British businessman, CEO of Croda International


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  4. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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