Surname Featherngill - Meaning and Origin

Featherngill: What does the surname Featherngill mean?

The last name Featherngill is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words ‘feðer’ and ‘ing’ which, when combined, mean ‘feather’ and ‘grass/meadow’ respectively. Together, the name Featherngill roughly translates to ‘a grassy or meadow area filled with feathers’.

Featherngill is a fairly uncommon name and could be trademarked to survivors of certain ancient Saxon families. The families descended from this lineage would have been considered to hail from ‘ Featherngill’, an area of meadows and grasslands that was home to many birds and wildfowl that left behind feathers, likely part of why the name was eventually chosen to describe the area.

Theite Featherngills can trace their family history through written records going back to the 12th Century. As a result, many of the original families in the area can be accurately documented including details about their occupations and lifestyles. As a result, some Featherngills have been linked to possessing certain characteristics such as being hand-workers or businessmen in medieval professions.

Even today, the Featherngills remain a source of pride and family history for descendants, with many still belonging to the original area as a source of connection to their ancestors. As a result, the name Featherngill will no doubt continue to live on and be passed down for generations to come.

Featherngill: Where does the name Featherngill come from?

The last name Featherngill is not particularly common today. According to the US Census from 2017, there were only 52 people in the United States with the surname Featherngill. Most of these people were found in the midwestern states. The states with the highest population of Featherngill are Ohio (14 people), Indiana (13 people), and Pennsylvania (12 people).

The most common states for the last name Featherngill have been Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania since the 1900s. But as of 2020, Featherngill can still be found in these states, and in West Virginia and North Carolina as well.

It is believed that the Featherngill name originated in Europe and spread to the United States. The first recorded use of the name was in 1651 in Maryland. Some branches of Featherngill families settled in the midwest states, while others traveled to the far western states of Oregon and California.

Today, Featherngill is not a hugely popular name. However, with the rise of genealogy research and appreciation for family history, this could change in the future.

Variations of the surname Featherngill

The surname Featherngill is an anglicised version of the German surname Federgüller. It is thought to have originated from Featherngill in Derbyshire, England when the first settlers arrived in the area in the 16th century.

The variants and spellings of Featherngill are Featheringill, Fetheringill, Fetheringall, Fetheringol, Featherngell, Fetherngell, Fetheri(n)gel, Fetheri(n)gall, Fetheri(n)gell, Fetheri(n)gill and Fedrigal.

The surnames of the same origin which are commonly used in the UK are Fontabell, Fetheringille, fefringill, Feethyngill, federingel, etc.

In Germany, common variants are Federkühl, Feidergill, Federgill, Federsgülly, Federgüller, vedergüller, Feddergill, Fedderguil, Fedderkühl, Fedderkuil and Federgölz.

In France, common variants are Foiguill, Foiguille and Foiguillot. In English speaking countries, however, the variants of the name Featherngill are more prevalent.

Featherngill is derived from the occupational name for a feather maker, which was adopted from the Old German word "feddrica" meaning "feather". It is also possible that the name was derived from the Old English "drickill", meaning "valley".

No matter what language or region they are from, all variants of the Featherngill surname have a common origin: that of a feather maker. It is a testament to the global nature of surname genealogy that people of all nations can trace their lineage to a shared ancestor hundreds or even thousands of years in the past.

Famous people with the name Featherngill

• Sean Featheringill: President and co-founder of Casting Frontier, a talent discovery platform for casting directors and filmmakers.
• Victor Featheringill: Professional baseball player who played for several teams from 1912-1925.
• Paul Featheringill: Automobile racer in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Abigail Featheringill: Actress best known for her appearances in several Broadway plays in the mid-1920s.
• Ted Featheringill: Professional golfer who competed in multiple major championships during the 1930s and 1940s.
• Everett Featheringill: Pro basketball player who dominated the court between 1939 and 1951.
• Dennis Featheringill: Country music singer and songwriter. His top singles include “Somebody Just Like You” and “Sweep Around the Clock”.
• Tupper Featheringill: Canadian-born NFL player who played for the Cleveland Browns from 1955 to 1959.
• James Featheringill Jr.: Vietnam War veteran and ornithologist who is best known for his work with the Golden Eagle.
• Rhys Featheringill: Professional surfer who competed on the ASP World Tour in the early 2000s.

Other surnames

Featherngale