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![Show Contents]() Phenshaws History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestors of the name Phenshaws date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Phenshaws family lived at Fanshawe Gate Hall in the county of Derbyshire. 1 Another source notes that name was derived from "fane, a temple or church, and shaw, a small wood or grove, a thicket—the church in the grove." 2 Early Origins of the Phenshaws familyThe surname Phenshaws was first found in Derbyshire. The family held high distinction at Fanshawe Gate from early times. This was the site where Thomas Fanshawe (1533-1601), the Queen's Remembrancer and his descendants hailed. Earlier John ffawnchall, Fanshawe was listed here in 1490. 1 Very little is known of the earlier lineage apart from the fact that he was the eldest son of John Fanshawe of Fanshawe Gate and had an uncle name Henry Fanshawe. In addition to Fanshawe Gate, he held estates in Ware Park, Hertfordshire and Jenkins, in Barking, Essex; presumably some were inherited through the family. Early History of the Phenshaws familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Phenshaws research. Another 69 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1533, 1569, 1596, 1601, 1608, 1616, 1621, 1625, 1661, 1665, 1666 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Phenshaws History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Phenshaws Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Phenshaws 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. The variations of the name Phenshaws include: Fanshaw, Fanshawe and others. Early Notables of the Phenshaws familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Fanshawe (1533-1601), English Remembrancer of the Exchequer; Sir Henry Fanshawe (1569-1616), an English Remembrancer of the Exchequer; Thomas Fanshawe, 1st Viscount Fanshawe KB (1596-1665), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1661, supporter of the Royalist cause in the...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Phenshaws Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Phenshaws familyMany 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 Phenshaws or a variant listed above: Richard Fanshaw who settled in Virginia in 1635; Sibilla Fanshaw settled in Virginia in 1726.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
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