The surname Fulham was first found in Middlesex at Fulham, a parish, in the union of Kensington, Kensington division of the hundred of Ossulstone. "Fulham is a spot of considerable antiquity: the Danes, on their invasion of England, fixed their head-quarters here, in 879; and, after wintering in the place, set sail for Flanders in the spring." [1]
This ancient Saxon parish was first listed as Fulanham (c. 705) and then later as Fuleham in the Domesday Book of 1086. [2] Literally the place name means "land in a river-bend of a man called Fulla" from the Old English personal name + "hamm." [3]
Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Fulham, held by Fulcred who held the lands from the Bishop of London and who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fulham research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1651, 1750, 1799, 1393, 1412, 1294 and 1519 are included under the topic Early Fulham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Fullem, Fullam, Fulham and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Fulham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Fulham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fulham or a variant listed above:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: