Ferness History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Ferness

What does the name Ferness mean?

The name Ferness first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the district named Furness on the South coast of Cumberland. Eraly records show the name in Lancashire too. The place name is thought to have Old Norse origins which was usually assigned as a name for a peninsula.

Early Origins of the Ferness family

The surname Ferness was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Ferness family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferness research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1658, 1687, 1700, 1701, 1708, 1712 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Ferness History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferness Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Ferness has appeared include Furness, Furniss, Furnesse, Furnes, Furnesed, Furnace, Furnice, Furnas and many more.

Early Notables of the Ferness family

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ferness Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ferness family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Ferness arrived in North America very early: Henry Furnace who settled in Philadelphia in 1683 with his wife Katherine and five children; Amy Furness settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1719; Katherine Furnice settled in Pennsylvania in 1772.