| ![Show Contents]() Fether History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England Etymology of FetherWhat does the name Fether mean? Fether is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a person who was a buyer or seller of feathers, having derived from the Old English word "feder," meaning "feather." 1 The Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae records Reinfrid and Osmund le Feutrier of Normandy 1195 and that the name was derived from Le Feutrier. 2 Early Origins of the Fether familyThe surname Fether was first found in Sussex where Juliana la Fethere was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1296. A few years later, Adam ffethir was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Cumberland in 1332. 1 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 listed Amald le Fader, Wiltshire; and Richard le Fader, Oxfordshire. 3 In Somerset, Robert Fader was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 4 Early History of the Fether familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fether research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1282, 1304 and 1544 are included under the topic Early Fether History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Fether Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Feathers, Feather, Fether, Fedder, Feder and others. Early Notables of the Fether familyMore information is included under the topic Early Fether Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Fether migration to the United States | + |
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Fether or a variant listed above:
Fether Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- John Fether, aged 28, who landed in America from Somerset, England, in 1907
- Swen Fether, aged 16, who immigrated to America from Engelholm, Sweden, in 1912
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: Valens et volens
Motto Translation: Able and willing
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- 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.
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