Fothringham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Etymology of Fothringham

What does the name Fothringham mean?

The ancestry of the name Fothringham dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Fotheringhay, in Northamptonshire having derived from the Old English word fodring, which meant grazing. The other portion is the Old English word eg, which meant island. The name as a whole meant "island with good grazing land."

Early Origins of the Fothringham family

The surname Fothringham was first found in Angus where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Fothringham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fothringham research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1130, 1296 and 1358 are included under the topic Early Fothringham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fothringham Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Fothringham have been found, including Fotheringham, Fothringham, Fothrynghame, Fotringham, Foderingham, Fotheringay and many more.

Early Notables of the Fothringham family

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

Migration of the Fothringham family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Fothringham, or a variant listed above: John Fotheringham who settled in South Carolina in 1716.

The Fothringham 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: Be it fast