Fenton / Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Fenton / Family History

Fenton / Family History

The Fenton ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Meaning 'of Fenton', Fenton is a locational name from a township near Carlisle, a chapelry in the Parish of Beckingham, a hamlet in the parish of Kettlethorpe, and a hamlet in the parish of Wooler. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout the above islands. Examples of such are a Gilbert de Fenton, Yorkshire, and a Robert de Fenton, Lincolnshire, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A Ricardus de Fenton was recorded in the 'Poll Tax', of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in the year 1379. In Scotland the earliest known individual was John de Fenton, Sheriff of Forfar in 1261 and there the name has been derived from the Barony of Fenton in East Lothian, held by the Fentons of the Lords of Dirleton. In Ireland Sir Henry Fenton, 1608, held important government positions under Elizabeth I, and lived at Dunboyne, County Meath. Fenton is also used as a variant of Finaghty in County Kerry.The Fenton family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Fenton descendants.