Surname Fothergil - Meaning and Origin

Fothergil: What does the surname Fothergil mean?

The last name Fothergil is of English, Scots-Irish, or German origin. It is derived from the name of a place in either England or Ireland where the original bearer of the name lived. It can also be an anglicized form of the German name "Festgerhelt" which roughly translates to mean "fiber gilt" or "divided gold," referring to the dyeing process of subdividing a piece of cloth to dye separately with a gold-colored dye.

The surname Fothergil may also be derived from the Old English words fot, meaning "foot," and gield, meaning "payment," referring to the payment of a fee for passage across a stream. The suffix “-er” added to the name may indicate an occupation related to this activity. This could suggest the original bearer of the name was someone who crossed water such as a ferryman or a fordsman.

Alternatively, the name “Fothergil” could indicate the original bearer was an individual of a very small stature, which was derived from the old English words fot meaning “foot” and gil meaning “slender.” As such, the surname Fothergil could have been a nickname given to a small individual.

Overall, the last name Fothergil is likely to have multiple meanings and origins. It is possible it could have once been a nickname derived from a very small stature or a name bestowed due to an occupation related to crossing water. It could have also been derived from an Anglicized form of a German name or a place in England or Ireland. Ultimately, the true origin of the surname will require further investigation of its various possible meanings.

Fothergil: Where does the name Fothergil come from?

The last name Fothergil is most common today in England and Ireland. It is believed to be a locational surname derived from a now-lost place located in the counties of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Durham. This place is thought to have been situated near the White area of the Derwent River in Yorkshire.

In England, the largest population of persons with the Fothergil surname is living in Yorkshire. The name is also found in other parts of the country, such as in Cheshire, Humberside, and Northumberland. In Ireland, the surname can be mainly found in County Londonderry.

The Fothergil name has been found in various records over the years. One source is the 1881 census of England, where the surname was listed almost 2,000 times. A search for the surname in the 1901 census for all of Britain revealed a total of 3,013 Fothergills.

The Fothergil surname could also be found in records dated as far back as the 12th Century, in Lancashire, where a Robert Fothergil was named in the ancient records of Lancashire as early as 1155.

Today, the Fothergil surname is still largely concentrated in the countries of England and Ireland. It is still relatively uncommon, so those who are able to trace their lineage back to someone bearing the surname should consider themselves fortunate.

Variations of the surname Fothergil

The surname Fothergil (or Fothergill) has a few variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The two primary variations are Fothergill and Fothergale. The spelling of Fothergill is by far the most common, as its full variant is Fothergill, Fothergils, Fothergyll, Fothergule, Fothergul, and Fotherghill.

The surnames of the same origin as Fothergil include Fotheringham, Fothergill-Rice, Fotheringay, Fothergill-Wilson, Fotheringhame, and Fotheringell. These surnames are derived from the name Fothergill, which could have been derived from the Old Norse words "fotr" which meant foot, and "gyll", which meant a deep ravine or gill. Thus, the name could mean someone who lived by a deep ravine.

The spelling variants Fothergale and Fothergyll are less common, but are still used occasionally. Another variant, Fothergyle, is occasionally used as an English surname, mainly in North America.

The family Fothergill originated in Northumberland in England and spread across the country during the Middle Ages. The variant Fotheringay is still common in Cornwall, England, and Fotheringham can still be found in Scotland.

Overall, the surname Fothergill is an Old Norse name with several different spellings, many of which are still used today.

Famous people with the name Fothergil

• Holly Fothergill: Scottish theatre, TV, and radio actress
• Steven Fothergill: prominent East Midlands businessman in the digital sector
• Colin Fothergill: English former professional footballer
• Robert Fothergill: British naturalist, physician, botanist, and author
• Bob Fothergill: English cricketer
• William Fothergill Cooke: English inventor, entrepreneur, and a key figure in the early development of worldwide telecommunications
• Isabel Fothergill: Canadian journalist and former National Director of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness
• Keith Fothergill: British former professional footballer
• Amina Fothergill: English Environmentalist and founder of the CNBC Africa Eco-Warrior Campaign
• Harry Fothergill: English former first-class cricketer
• Flick Fothergill: Australian Paralympic athlete
• Edmund Fothergill: English portrait and history painter

Other surnames

Fothergill