Faulkner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Faulkner

What does the name Faulkner mean?

The name Faulkner was derived from 'falconer,' which in turn, was derived from the Old French word 'faulconnier,' a term of office for one who breeds or trains falcons and hawks for sport. Accordingly, one of the first records of the name was Matheus the falconarius (falconer) who witnessed a charter by Earl Davis c. 1202. 1

Early Origins of the Faulkner family

The surname Faulkner was first found in Angus, where early records revealed Gulielmus Auceps (William the falconer) was granted lands to the kirk (church) of Marington or Maryton c. 1200. "In the vernacular he may have borne the name Hawker, for while his descendants have retained the name Falconer their estate ('villa eiusdem Willelmi Aucipis') was known as Haukertun or Haukerstun." 1

Matheus the falconer (falconarius) is one of the witnesses to a charter by Earl David, (c. 1202.) Robert le Faukener or Fauconer of Kincarydn en Miernes rendered homage to Edward I in 1296. His seal bears a falcon killing a small bird. 1

The denotes "one who pursued the sport of falconry, so much admired in the Middle Ages, when a patrician was recognized by "his horse, his hawk, and his greyhound." Kings and great men kept a state falconer, and in such estimation was the office held in Norman times that Domesday Book shews us four different tenants-in-chief besides others who are described each as Accipitrarius-hawker, or falconer. The Domesday Book shows us four different tenants-in-chief besides others who are described as Accipitrarius - hawker, or falconer." 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Richard le Fauconer; and Walter le Fauconer and both residing in Huntingdonshire at that time. Kirby's Quest noted John le Fauconer and John Fauconner in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 3 Later, Geoffrey Fauconer was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4

Early History of the Faulkner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Faulkner research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1202, 1203, 1296, 1350, 1380, 1547, 1577, 1595, 1620, 1623, 1640, 1656, 1660, 1668, 1671, 1676, 1678, 1679, 1680, 1681, 1682, 1684, 1685, 1686, 1723, 1724, 1727, 1751, 1758, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Faulkner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Faulkner Spelling Variations

Although the name, Faulkner, appeared in many references, from time to time, the surname was shown with the spellings Falconer, Faulkner, Falknar, Falcener, Falconair, Fauknar, Favconer, Fawlkconer, Fawlkner, Fauconer, Fallconer, Faukner and many more.

Early Notables of the Faulkner family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was William Falkner, D.D. (died 1682), an English divine of Glemsford, Suffolk; Colin Falconer (1623-1686), Scottish minister, Bishop of Argyll (1679-1680) Bishop of Moray (1680-1686); John Falconer (Falkner) (1577-1656), an English Jesuit; John Falconer (fl. 1547), an English merchant; John Falconer (Falconar) (c.1660-1723), a Scottish minister in the Church of Scotland; Sir Alexander Falconer of Glenfarquhar; Sir David Falconer of Glenfarquhar...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Faulkner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Faulkner World Ranking

In the United States, the name Faulkner is the 767^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 5 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Faulkner is ranked the 612^nd most popular surname with an estimated 74 people with that name. 6 And in Australia, the name Faulkner is the 511^st popular surname with an estimated 7,464 people with that name. 7 New Zealand ranks Faulkner as 690^th with 1,034 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Faulkner as 453^rd with 14,399 people. 9

Migration of the Faulkner family to Ireland

Some of the Faulkner family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Faulkner migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of cholera, typhoid, dysentery or small pox. In North America, some of the first immigrants who could be considered kinsmen of the Faulkner family name Faulkner, or who bore a variation of the surname were

Faulkner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edmund Faulkner, who landed in New England in 1645 10
Tho Faulkner, who landed in Virginia in 1653 10
Fran Faulkner, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 10
Ed Faulkner, who arrived in Virginia in 1662 10
Thomas Faulkner, who settled in Virginia in 1663
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Faulkner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Frances Faulkner, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 10
Wm, Faulkner Jr., who landed in Virginia in 1714 10
Alice Faulkner, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 10
Joseph Faulkner, who arrived in Georgia in 1741 10
Jane Faulkner, who arrived in America in 1764 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Faulkner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Arthur Faulkner, aged 70, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 10
Cornelius Faulkner, aged 26, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1812 10
Francis Faulkner, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 10
W Faulkner, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
A Faulkner, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Faulkner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Faulkner Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Alex Faulkner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1775
Mr. John Faulkner U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 11

Faulkner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Catherine Faulkner, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1833
William Faulkner, aged 40, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Madawaska" in 1833
Rev. William Faulkner, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1838 12
Hugh and William Faulkner, who settled in Bonavista in 1871

Faulkner migration to Australia +

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

Faulkner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Faulkner, (Dixon, George, Sculthorpe), English convict who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. William Faulkner, English convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. William Faulkner, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Thomas Faulkner, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. George Faulkner, (b. 1802), aged 20, English blacksmith who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life for highway robbery, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1875 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Faulkner migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Faulkner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Faulkner, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Mandarin
Mr. Faulkner, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mandarin" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 21st May 1841 17
Charles Faulkner, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Mandarin" in 1841
Mr. John Faulkner, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 17
Mr. James Faulkner, British settler travelling from Liverpool aboard the ship "Tornado" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th September 1859 18
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Faulkner migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19

Faulkner Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Thomas Faulkner, who settled in Barbados in 1683

Contemporary Notables of the name Faulkner (post 1700) +

William Cuthbert Faulkner (1897-1962), American novelist and poet, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in both 1955 and 1963
Kristen Faulkner (b. 1992), American racing cyclist, who competed at the 2024 Summer Olympics
Henry Lawrence Faulkner (1924-1981), American artist and poet
Jack Faulkner (1926-2008), American football coach
Ronald "Trader" Faulkner (1927-2021), Australian actor best known for his work in English stage and television, son of inventor and actor John Faulkner
David Ewart Riley Faulkner CB (1934-2020), English senior research fellow at the University of Oxford Centre for Criminological Research
Doug Faulkner (1942-2024), Canadian politician, Mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta from 1997 to 2004
Anthony George "Charlie" Faulkner (1941-2023), Welsh rugby union footballer who played for Wales (1975-1979) and the British Lions (1977)
Neil Faulkner FSA (1958-2022), British archaeologist, historian, writer, lecturer, broadcaster, and political activist
Dr. John Stuart Faulkner B.E.M., British recipient of Medallist of the British Empire Medal 29th December 2018 for services to Conservation and to Grass Breeding in Northern Ireland 20
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Faulkner family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Reginald Faulkner (d. 1914), British Assistant Pantryman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 21
Mr. James Faulkner (1858-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Mrs. Mary Ellen Faulkner (1861-1914), née Meredith Canadian Third Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Alice Melissa Faulkner (1859-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23
Mr. William George Faulkner (1861-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23
Mrs. Florence Jane Faulkner (1875-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Arthur John Faulkner (1918-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Grange, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24

HMS Halsted

Mr. Joseph Faulkner (b. 1917), British Royal Navy able seaman from Lincolnshire, England was stationed aboard the "HMS Halsted" when it was struck by torpedo by Jaguar and Mowe of the Cherbourg coast on 11th June 1944, he survived but died on the 14th June 1944

HMS Hood

Mr. Ronald E Faulkner (b. 1918), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 25

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William Frederick Barnett Faulkner, British Midshipman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26

HMS Royal Oak

G. Faulkner, British Ordnance Artificer 3rd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 27

RMS Titanic

Mr. William Stephen Faulkner, aged 37, English Bedroom Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 11 28

USS Arizona

Mr. Paul H. Faulkner, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 29

The Faulkner 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: Vive ut vivas
Motto Translation: Live that you may live for ever

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html