Surname Fould - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'F'
Fould: What does the surname Fould mean?
The last name Fould is a French surname. It is most likely derived from the French word 'fouler', which means 'to trample'. The name may be a reference to someone who was known for trampling their enemies or opponents, or it may simply indicate that someone in the family was a professional tramp or trample.
In some cases, Fould may be derived from the French word 'fou' which means 'mad' or 'crazy'. This meaning could have been used to describe someone in the family who had a wild or unpredictable nature.
Fould may have also been a patronymic name derived from the Middle French surname Foulet, which means 'little fool'. The origin of this name may refer to someone who was good-natured but slightly foolish.
Fould was also sometimes used as a descriptive name for someone with dark hair.
The Fould surname is most commonly found in France and some other parts of Europe. It is also established in the United States, primarily among descendants of French emigrants who arrived in America in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Order DNA origin analysisFould: Where does the name Fould come from?
The surname Fould is most commonly found in France today, particularly in the south of the country where it’s more prominent. In addition, Fould has also been recorded in England and Northern Ireland as well as other countries around the world.
The French version of the name, Foud, is thought to be derived from Latin ‘fodio’, meaning ‘to dig’ or ‘to excavate’. As a result, many people bearing the Fould surname can trace their ancestral lineage back to those with strong working roots.
Records show that people bearing the Fould surname are dispersed across all 86 departments of France. The labour of past generations in the nation has helped keep the name alive and spread it throughout the nation, with some smaller families having left for other countries over the centuries.
Subsequently, those bearing the Fould surname appear in 7% of French families, with records showing it to be more prominent in the areas of Bouches-du-Rhône, the Occitanie region, and the Gard department in the South of France.
Overall, the name Fould is most commonly found in France today, but can also be found in other countries as well, an evidence of its spread made possible by the efforts of the Fouls and their family’s line through the centuries.
Variations of the surname Fould
The surname Fould is of French origin and could be spelled in several ways, including Fouled, Foule, Foulds, Foulders, and Foulden. It is an uncommon name that exists in many different countries. It was likely derived from the French word fouler, meaning "to tread on, trample, or press down".
In French records, the name is usually seen as Fould, Foulde, Foule, and Fouled. The spelling ‘Fould’ was most commonly used in Ireland, where it is still found today. Similarly, the variants Foulds, Foulders, and Foulden are English derivations of the French surname.
In the United States, however, the name is usually seen as Fouad. This variant was more likely adopted in the former American colonies to differentiate it from the other spellings that were more commonly found in France at the time.
The variants and spellings of the surname Fould all have the same French origin, but were likely adapted in different countries and used over time. Even today, these variants are still used in different countries, albeit with different connotations.
Famous people with the name Fould
- Edouard-Marie-Ernest Fould: French statesman and politician during the Second Empire
- Achille Fould: French finance minister
- Laure Fould-Springer: French business executive and Chief Executive Officer of Dalkia
- Robert Foulds: British ballet dancer
- John Foulds: English composer and conductor
- Jean-Joseph Fould: French writer
- Jules Fould: French banker
- Elie Fould: French official
- Mamadou Papa Fould: Senegalese footballer
- Nicole Fould: French politician