Origin
of Names
The Origin of
BRANSON
The very first record of the family name BRANSON
was found in Yorkshire , which is located in England.
The BRANSON family traces their ancestral roots
back to Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100. From here they
branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of
England and later other countries.
The Origin of CARSON
The very first record of the family name CARSON
was found in Dumfriesshire , which is located in
the Scottish English Border Ridings. The CARSON
family traces their ancestral roots back to Strathclyde
Briton origin before the year 1100. From here they
branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of
the Scottish English Border Ridings and later other countries.
The Origin of COOK
The very first record of the family name COOK
was found in Essex , which is located in England.
The COOK family traces their ancestral roots
back to Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100.
From here they branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a
notable family of England and later other countries.
The Origin of DAY
The very first record of the family name DAY was
found in Clare , which is located in Ireland.
The DAY family traces their ancestral roots back
to Irish origin before the year 1100. From here they branched and
migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of Ireland
and later other countries.
The Origin of FOWLER
The very first record of the family name FOWLER
was found in Norfolk , which is located in England.
The FOWLER family traces their ancestral roots
back to Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100. From here they
branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of England
and later other countries. This name is of ancient Anglo-Norman
origin, and comes from the Anglo-Saxon word
"Fugal", meaning fowl. However, most of the Fowlers in
America are of English descent. It seems that the early bearers
of this name not only "pursued the captured wild fowl",
but also sold them , for in its early form the French
suffix,"ere", following "fowl", meant an
agent or dealer. Old English and early American records carry
frequent mention of the name in various forms, such as
"Fouler", but "Fowler" is the generally
accepted form. - "The House Of Fowler: A History of the
Fowler Families of the South" by Grover Parsons
Fowler(1940).
The Origin of HUTTON
The very first record of the family name HUTTON
was found in Cumberland , which is located in
the English and Scotttish Border Ridings. The HUTTON
family traces their ancestral roots back to Anglo Saxon
origin before the year 1100. From here they branched and
migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of the English
and Scotttish Border Ridings and later other countries.
The Origin of MCGOWAN
The very first record of the family name MCGOWAN
was found in Invernesshire , which is located in
Scotland. The MCGOWAN family
traces their ancestral roots back to Pictish
origin before the year 1100. From here they branched and
migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of Scotland
and later other countries.
The Origin of SHOCKLEY
The very first record of the family name SHOCKLEY
was found in Cheshire , which is located in England.
The SHOCKLEY family traces their ancestral roots
back to Norman origin before the year 1100. From
here they branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable
family of England and later other countries.
The Origin of
Smallwood
(Provided by Gary Smallwood)
Origin: English
The present generation of the Smallwood family is only the
most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of
Britain. Their name comes from having lived in the township of Smallwood in the
parish of Astbury in the county of Chesire. Habitation names form a broad
category of surnames that were derived from pre-existing names for towns,
villages, parishes or farmsteads.
Smallwood is an Anglo-Saxon surname that has survived the
rigorous course of history to the present day. Emerging from the shadows of
time, the records reveal the earliest origins of this distinguished family.
Historians have researched such ancient manuscripts as the
Domesday Book compiled in 1086 A.D., by Duke William of Normandy, the Ragman
Rolls(1291 - 1296) collected by King Edward 1st of England, the Curia Regis
Rolls, the Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish registers, baptismals, tax
records and other ancient documents. Researchers found the first record of the
name Smallwood in Cheshire where they were anciently seated, at Smallwood in the
parish of Astbury, some say before the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The name Smallwood, occurred in many manuscripts and from time
to time the surname was spelt Smallwood, Smalwood, Smalewood, with these changes
in spelling occurring, even between father and son. In the sixteenth century
even literate people such as William Shakespeare varied the spelling of their
own names. There are many reasons for these spelling variations, for instance
official court languages such as Latin and French had their influence on how a
name was recorded. In general, church officials and scribes recorded a name as
it was told to them, rather than follow any spelling rules or conventions.
The Anglo-Saxon tribes produced many surnames such as
Smallwood. These founding cultures settled in England in about the 5th century
A.D., displacing the ancient Britons who populated the area in Roman times. The
Angles and the Saxons established several independent kingdoms, Northumbria,
Mercia, Wessex, Kent, Essex, Sussex and East Anglia, collectively known as the
Heptarchy. All of these rival kingdoms were unified in the 9th century by Egbert,
King of Wessex.
In 1066, the relative peace which the country has been
existing under was shattered. The Norman invasion from France and their victory
at the Battle of Hastings meant that many Anglo-Saxon landholders lost their
property to Duke William and his invading nobles. Under oppressive Norman rule
many families decided to move north to Yorkshire and beyond the border to
Scotland.
The Smallwood family emerged as notable Englishmen in the
county of Cheshire. In the 14th century they branched into Queyslade in
Leicestershire, and also moved north and acquired the lands known as Belton Land
in Renfrewshire Scotland, which was eventually sold to the Monks of Paisley for
three pounds. Dorothea Smallwood of Queyslade married John Geste of Hansworth in
Warwikshire in 1601. Henry Smallwood married Elizabeth Long of Hampton Lodge of
Surrey. Distinguished members of the family at this time include Smallwood of
Chesire.
Throughout the Middle Ages the Smallwood family flourished and
contributed to English society. Later during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries
England was devastated by religious and political conflict. Conflicts between
religious sects and between parliamentary and royalist forces created an
unstable society. Many families were banished by the prevailing powers for
dissention, other families chose to leave the turmoil behind.
In Ireland, Protestant settlers and soldiers in Cromwell's
army were granted lands which had been confiscated from the native Catholic
owners. The name Smallwood may well have arrived in Ireland with the "Cromwellian
Adventures for Land." in the 17th century. At that time, 1,000 acres of land was
available to settlers in Ulster for two hundred pounds, in Connaught for three
hundred pounds, and in Leinster for six hundred pounds.
Upheaval at home forced some families to risk the perilous
journey to the New World in order that they might build a better future for
themselves. Members of the Smallwood family were amongst the settlers who
boarded ships bound for Canada, the United States, Australia and the other
colonies held by the British Crown.
Settlers bearing the surname Smallwood, or a variable spelling
of the family name include Randall Smallwood settled in Virginia in 1623,
Samwell and Martha Smallwood settled in Maryland in 1699; Randolf Smallwood
settled at the Delaware River in 1685; Mathew Smallwood settled in Virginia in
1652; Joseph Smallwood, ancestor of Joey Smallwood settled at Prince Edward
Island in 1783; David Smallwood was a trader at Ship Island, BonnaVista Bay,
Newfoundland in 1871.
Many migrants chose Canada as their destination after the
British conquered the territory in 1763. But large numbers of English speaking
migrants did not arrive in Canada until after the American War of Independence.
The Smallwood family has continued to produce distinguished
individuals such as Hon. Joseph Smallwood, Premier of Newfoundland, the last
living member of the Confederation of Canada; Chief Marshall Sir Dennis
Smallwood; General Gerald Smallwood; Anne Smallwood, Commissioner of Taxes.
The Origin of PAINTER
The very first record of the family name PAINTER
was found in Cornwall , which is located in England.
The PAINTER family traces their ancestral roots
back to Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100.
From here they branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a
notable family of England and later other countries.
The Origin of RUBOTTOM
The very first record of the family name RUBOTTOM
was found in Lancashire , which is located in England.
The RUBOTTOM family traces their ancestral roots
back to Anglo Saxon origin before the year 1100.
From here they branched and migrated, gaining prosperity as a
notable family of England and later other countries. The RUBOTTOM
family in this website traces their lineage to Wales.
The Origin of STEVENS
The very first record of the family name STEVENS
was found in Gloucestershire , which is located
in England. The STEVENS family
traces their ancestral roots back to Norman
origin before the year 1100. From here they branched and
migrated, gaining prosperity as a notable family of England and
later other countries.