Fynchs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture once found in Britain is the soil from which the many generations of the Fynchs family have grown. The name Fynchs was given to a member of the family who was a person who was referred to as a finch deriving from the small songbird's name. The surname may have also an occupational origin, denoting someone who caught and sold finches. 1 2 Godric Finc was listed as an Old English Byname (1049-1058.) Later, Ælfwin Finche, and Allwin Finke were recorded (1148-1167.) 3

Early Origins of the Fynchs family

The surname Fynchs was first found in Hertfordshire where they held a family seat at Redheath. Conjecturally the name became established as Finch by Vincent Herbert of Winchelsea, who by a strange combination of Vincent and Winch of Winchelsea, bore the alias of Finch, and became the Earl of Winchelsea, having the Christian name of Finch. 4

"Vincent Herbert of Winchelsea, 20 Edward I. [(during the twentieth year of Edward I's reign)] bore the alias of Finch. The early pedigree of the Earl of Winchelsea's family is very obscure. Their former surname was Herbert, and one of the earliest if not the first who was known as Finch was this very Vincent. In Sussex the baptismal name Vincent is often corrupted to Winch or Vinch." 4

In Norfolk, the first record was that of Gilbert le Finch who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1205. Walter le Vinch was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275 and later again, John Vynk was found in Colchester in 1373. "Ælfwin (Aylwin) Finche, Finke was of the family which gave name to Finch Lane and St Benet Fink in London." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Thomas Finch, Cambridgeshire and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1370 include: Agnes Finche; Thomas Fynche; and Johannes Fynche. 5

In Somerset, Philip Fynch was listed there, 1 Edward III (during the first year of Edward III's reign.) 6

"The name of Finch was well represented in the eastern counties of Norfolk, Lincoln, Cambridge, and Bedford, in the reign of Edward I., and there were at that time a few of the name in Shropshire. It now occurs also in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire." 7

Early History of the Fynchs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fynchs research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1300, 1337, 1379, 1584, 1599, 1614, 1621, 1626, 1627, 1628, 1639, 1649, 1660, 1672, 1682, 1689, 1698, 1702, 1704, 1705, 1711, 1712, 1719, 1729, 1738, 1901 and 1933 are included under the topic Early Fynchs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fynchs 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 Fynchs family name include Finch, Vinch, Vynch, Fynch, Vince, Vynche and others.

Early Notables of the Fynchs family

Notables of the family at this time include John Finch, 1st Baron Finch (1584-1660), an English judge and politician, Speaker of the House of Commons; Sir Moyle Finch (1614-?), 1st Earl of Winchilsea; his son Thomas Finch (d. 1639), 2nd Earl of Winchilsea; Sir Heneage Finch (c.1627-1689), 3rd Earl of Winchilsea; Charles Finch, 4th Earl of Winchilsea PC (1672-1712), British peer and Member of Parliament, First Lord of Trade...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fynchs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fynchs family to Ireland

Some of the Fynchs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fynchs 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 Fynchs surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Abraham Finch who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1630 with his three sons; Benjamin Finch settled in Barbados in 1678 with his wife and his daughter.

The Fynchs 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: Nil conscire sibi
Motto Translation: To have a conscience free from guilt.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.