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Fossett History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Fossett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Fossett is derived from an ancient word meaning "fox on a hillside." Fa’side Castle, sometimes known as Fawside, Falside, Ffauside, Fauxside, or Fawsyde, is a 14th century Keep located in East Lothian, approximately 2 miles southwest of Tranent, and two miles southeast of Musselburgh. The castle dates to 1189, when the monks of Newbattle Abbey granted land to Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester to build the castle on the site. Today the privately held castle still stands and includes a Bed and Breakfast for the weary traveler.

Early Origins of the Fossett family

The surname Fossett was first found in East Lothian, at Fawsyde where one of the first records of the name was Aedmundus de Fayeside who witnessed the grant of Tranent church to Holyrood Abbey be Thos filius Swani (c. 1150.) More than a century later, Alan de Fausyde witnessed a grant by Peter de Grame to the Hospital of Soltre before 1238.

Early History of the Fossett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fossett research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1238, 1296, 1332, 1398, 1548, 1553, 1583, 1630, 1789, 1824, 1840, 1845 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Fossett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fossett Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Fossett occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Fawcett, Fawsyde, Faucett, Fallcett, Fawcitt, Faucitt, Fawside and many more.

Early Notables of the Fossett family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Edward Forsett (1553?-1630?), English political writer who obtained from Elizabeth in 1583 a twenty-one years' lease of the manor of Tyburn, Middlesex, at the annual rent of 16l. 11s. 8d. "As a justice of peace he showed himself very active in the examination of those concerned in the Gunpowder plot, and he occasionally took charge of the Tower during the absence of the lieutenant, Sir William Waad. " 1John Fawcett, born at Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, in 1789, was originally a shoemaker, but abandoned that calling to follow the profession of music in...
Another 213 words (15 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fossett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fossett Ranking

In the United States, the name Fossett is the 12,631^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Fossett family to Ireland

Some of the Fossett 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.

Fossett migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Fossett, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Fossett Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ann Fossett, who landed in Virginia in 1623 3
Thomas Fossett, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 3
Robert Fossett, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
Robert Fossett, who landed in Virginia in 1637 3
William Fossett, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Fossett migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Fossett Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. James Fossett, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4

Fossett migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Fossett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Fossett, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
William Fossett, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
Mary A. Fossett, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
Amelia Fossett, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864
Henry Fossett, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Portland" in 1864

Contemporary Notables of the name Fossett (post 1700) +

James Stephen "Steve" Fossett (1944-2008), American aviator, sailor, and adventurer who became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in a balloon. He was reported missing after the plane he was flying over the Nevada desert failed to return and on November 26, 2007, Fossett's wife requested that Fossett be declared legally dead. The petition was granted on February 15, 2008 5

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
James Fossett. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) James Fossett. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Fossett