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 Forstall, 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 Forstall family originally lived near a paddock, which is a small grassy enclosed area in which horses can graze and exercise. The surname Forstall is derived from a dialectical word which means paddock. The surname Forstall 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 Forstall family
The surname Forstall was first found in
Kent, where they held a
family seat as Lords of the manor of Forstall, and were granted the lands by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
Early History of the Forstall family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Forstall research.
Another 305 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1359, and 1682 are included under the topic Early Forstall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Forstall Spelling Variations
Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name Forstall revealed many
spelling variations including Forristal, Forristall, Forrestal, Forrestall, Forrestell, Forestal, Forestel, Forestall, Forestell, Forstal, Forstall, Furstal and many more.
Early Notables of the Forstall family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Forstall Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Forstall family to the New World and Oceana
Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for
Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Forstall:
Forstall Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Catherine Forstall, who landed in Maryland in 1679 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8) - Richard Forstall, who settled in Barbados in 1680 with his servants
Forstall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Josephine and Pauline Forstall, who settled in New Orleans La. in 1820 with their family headed by Charles Edward Forstall
Contemporary Notables of the name Forstall (post 1700)
- Scott Forstall, American software engineer, best known for leading the original software development team for the iPhone and iPad
The Forstall Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: In corda inimicorum regis
Motto Translation: In the King's enemies