Foulerton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Foulerton

What does the name Foulerton mean?

It was in the Scottish/English Borderlands that the Strathclyde-Briton people first used the ancient name Foulerton. It was a name for someone who lived in the barony of Fullertoun in the parish of Dundonald in Ayrshire. That the family assumed the name of where they lived is often indicative the degree of power and influence they held in that area. Foulerton is most definitely such a name, easily identified by the suffix "-ton", meaning "settlement" or "town".

The place in question is almost certainly Fullerton, near Ayr or possibly Foulertoun near Forfar, both in Scotland. Both of these towns derive their name from the word "fuglere", meaning "bird-catcher" (the English word "fowler" has the same origin), indicating that fowl was the primary product of these towns.

Fullarton "which is situated on the southwestern bank of the river Irvine, derives its name from its ancient proprietors, the Fullartons, by one of whom a convent was founded in 1240, on the site of the present town, and amply endowed for friars of the Carmelite order. " 1

Early Origins of the Foulerton family

The surname Foulerton was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire. The earliest evidence of the Fullerton family appeared in the mid 13th century, with Alanus de Fowlertoun who founded and endowed out of his lands a convent of Carmelite or White Friars at Irvine. He died circa 1280 and was succeeded by his son Adam de Fowlerton, who had a charter of the lands of Foullartous and Gaylis in Kyle Stewart a few years after his father's death.

A branch of his family settled in Arran and are said to have received from King Robert the Bruce a charter of the lands of Kilmichael with the office of coroner and the honorary title of Falconer to the King, in 1307. These estates were held for several centuries and in later years the family branched to Kinnaber in Angus. 2

Gradually many of the estates were lost by marriage, and one of the last was Ballintoy Castle in County Antrim, Ireland which was acquired by the Downings in marriage. From the appointment by Bruce on, a long series of titles belonged to this respectable family. Rankin de Fowlartoun was the dominus de Corsby in the early 15th century and John Fullarton was first minister of Sanquhar after the Reformation.

The most prestigious title held by the family came, however, in 1327 when Robert I granted to Galfridus de Foullertoune (whose name is also recorded as Galfredus Fullerton) the land of Oulertoun in the sheriffdom of Forfar and the hereditary office of falconer within the sheriffdom. The estate was held by the Fullartons for over 120 years before they transferred themselves to the parish of Meigle, in which there are lands which bear the name to this day. 2

Early History of the Foulerton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foulerton research. Another 221 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1593, 1603, 1607, 1631, 1645, 1707, 1720, 1727, 1865 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Foulerton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foulerton Spelling Variations

Surnames that evolved in Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Foulerton has appeared as Fullerton, Fullarton, Foulerton, Fowlerton, McCoy and others.

Early Notables of the Foulerton family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Mr. John Fullerton, Esq. Thribergh in the West Riding of Yorkshire was home to this gentleman for some time. "The parish comprises 1,624a. lr. 27p., of which about 800 acres are arable, 770 pasture, and about 30 woodland, all the property of John Fullerton, Esq., lord of the manor. The soil...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foulerton Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foulerton family to Ireland

Some of the Foulerton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 303 words (22 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foulerton family

The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against England in the American War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them: Alexander Fullerton who settled in Virginia in 1684.

The Foulerton 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: Lux in tenebris
Motto Translation: Light in darkness.

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)