Early Origins of the Freshwell family
The surname Freshwell was first found in
Sussex where the family name was first referenced in the year 1296 when John de Freshfield held estates in the county. The parish of Staveley in
Derbyshire was an ancient
family seat. "This place was for many generations the seat of the Frecheville family, of whom Sir John, an active royalist in the reign of Charles I., strongly fortified his mansion, and, having raised a battery of twelve pieces of cannon, held it against the parliamentarian forces for a considerable time, but in August 1644 was obliged to surrender by capitulation."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Freshwell family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Freshwell research.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1296, 1544, 1603 and 1632 are included under the topic Early Freshwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Freshwell Spelling Variations
Freshwell has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few
hundred years,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Freshfield, Frechville, Frechfield, Freshton, Froshfield, Freshwell, Fretchwell, Frecheville and many more.
Early Notables of the Freshwell family (pre 1700)
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Freshwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Freshwell family to the New World and Oceana
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in
England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Freshwells to arrive on North American shores: settlers, who arrived along the eastern seaboard, from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands.
The Freshwell 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: Nobilitatis virtus non stemma character
Motto Translation: Virtue, not lineage, is the mark of nobility.