Flash History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Flash

What does the name Flash mean?

The name Flash is an occupational name for someone who was a 'the flaxman,' a dresser of flax, derived from the Middle English, flax and the Anglo-Saxon fleax. 1

"Flaxman is a trade name that denotes a dealer in flax, flaxseed oil, or hemp. Or it may refer to the color of a person's hair. In old authors "flax-wife" signifies a female spinner who is married, probably to distinguish her from the spinster, or maiden of the distaff. One of the family is described as "Johannem Spoundel dictum Flexmangere," or fiax-monger, and twenty years later this person, or a descendant, is simply described as 'Johannes Flexman.'" 2

Early Origins of the Flash family

The surname Flash was first found in Huntingdonshire where in the year 1279 William Flexman held estates in that shire. A few years later, Richard le flexmongere was laos listed there in 1294. In Norfolk, Nicholas Flaxman was listed as holding lands there in 1332. 3

The source Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III includes entries for Ralph le Flexman and John Flexmon, Gloucestershire, 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of King Edard I's reign.) 1

Early History of the Flash family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Flash research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1205, 1327, 1332, 1562, 1582, 1663 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Flash History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Flash Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Flash include Flaxman, Flexman, Flashman, Flachman, Fleshman, Flesh and many more.

Early Notables of the Flash family

More information is included under the topic Early Flash Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Flash migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Flash or a variant listed above:

Flash Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Flash, who landed in Virginia in 1664 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Flash (post 1700) +

Grandmaster Flash (b. 1958), stage name of Joseph Robert Saddler, a Barbadian-American musician and DJ
Adam Flash (b. 1971), ring name of Douglas Adam Becker, American retired professional wrestler

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)