Fotterbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Fotterbay is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Fotherby, a parish, in the union of Louth, wapentake of Ludborough, parts of Lindsey in Lincolnshire. 1 2

Early Origins of the Fotterbay family

The surname Fotterbay was first found in Lincolnshire at Fotherby. The place dates back to at least the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was known as Fodrebi. 3 Literally the place name means "farmstead of a man called Fotr" or "farmstead which supplies fodder," from the Viking personal name "fothr" + "by." 4

The first record of the family was Ranulf de Foterby who was listed in 1250. 5

Early History of the Fotterbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fotterbay research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1549, 1596, 1615, 1618 and 1619 are included under the topic Early Fotterbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fotterbay Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Fotterbay are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Fotterbay include: Fotherby, Fotherbey and others.

Early Notables of the Fotterbay family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Martin Fotherby (1549?-1619), Bishop of Salisbury, son of Maurice Fotherby, a resident at Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He became Prebendary and Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1596, and in 1615 was presented to the deanery. Three years afterwards, being chaplain to James I, he was appointed to...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fotterbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fotterbay family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Fotterbay or a variant listed above: Susan Fotherby who settled in Rappahannnock in the year 1727.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)