Vowels History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Vowels family saga is rooted in the people of the Pictish Clan of ancient Scotland. The Vowels family lived in the place called Foulzie in the parish of King Edward in the county of Aberdeen. The surname Vowels belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Vowels family

The surname Vowels was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen at Foulzie. James Fowlie was listed in Bartholl Chapell in 1741. 1 Further to the south in Greenhow in the North Riding of Yorkshire, the Foulis family gained a family seat during the reign of James I. Originally held by the D'Arcys, that family had lost the lands during the reign of Henry VIII when it was reverted to the crown. 2

Nearby, in Ingleby-Greenhow, the family of Foulis bought the lands from the Eures. From this branch , Henry Foulis, the historian and divine, was born at Ingleby manor-house in the middle of the 17th century. "The parish is now almost exclusively the property of Sir William Foulis, Bart., who is lord of the manor. Ingleby manor-house, the seat of Sir William Foulis, is a stately mansion of stone, finely situated on an eminence; it contains some oak carvings, and an ancient portrait of Queen Elizabeth." 2

Early History of the Vowels family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vowels research. Another 202 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1198, 1248, 1295, 1305, 1422, 1429, 1469, 1486, 1552, 1626, 1629, 1634, 1638, 1645, 1654, 1669, 1688, 1711 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Vowels History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vowels Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Vowels include Fowlie, Fowley, Fowlis, Foulis and others.

Early Notables of the Vowels family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir James Foulis, Lord Colinton (d. 1688), a Scottish judge; and his eldest son, James Foulis, Lord Reidfurd (1645?-1711), a Scottish judge; Henry Foulis (1638-1669), an English academic theologian and controversial author; Sir Alexander Foulis, made a Baronet June 7th 1634; Sir David Foulis, 1st Baronet Foulis was Custos Rotulorum (keeper of...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vowels Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vowels Ranking

In the United States, the name Vowels is the 16,684^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Vowels family to Ireland

Some of the Vowels family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Vowels migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Vowels Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Eliza Vowels who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

The Vowels 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: Mente manuque praesto
Motto Translation: Ready with heart and hand.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/