Freelen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Freelen

What does the name Freelen mean?

The origins of the name Freelen are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name Freeland. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames. The surname Freelen also originated as the place-name Freeland, a parish in the dioceses of Oxford.

Early Origins of the Freelen family

The surname Freelen was first found in Hampshire 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 Freelen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Freelen research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1764 and 1836 are included under the topic Early Freelen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Freelen Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Freelen family name include Freeland, Freeling, Frieland and others.

Early Notables of the Freelen family

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

Migration of the Freelen family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Freelen surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Thomas Freeland who settled in New Hampshire in 1718; Tennant Freeland settled in Philadelphia in 1817; George Freeland settled in Savannah Georgia in 1867.

Contemporary Notables of the name Freelen (post 1700) +

Jesse James Freelen, American politician, Mayor of Paris, Texas, 2007-10 1

The Freelen 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: Libera terra liberque animus
Motto Translation: A free land and a free soul.

Sources +

The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html