Surname Fotheringham - Meaning and Origin

Fotheringham: What does the surname Fotheringham mean?

The last name Fotheringham is of English origin and is derived from an ancient family name of uncertain origin. It could be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac an t-Sagairt, which translates to ‘son of the priest’ - likely derived from a chief priest or dignitary at the former parish church of Fotheringham.

The earliest recorded reference of the name in Scotland is from Inverness in the year 1263, suggesting this Mc an t-Sagairt had been resident in Fotheringham for some time. It is possible that the family was originally linked to Allerdale, near modern day Carlisle in Cumbria, with the family travelling southward to Scotland in the 12th century.

The name Fotheringham has been used as both a first and last name over the centuries. It is linked to various locations throughout the British Isles and is believed to have originated among the Strathclyde Britons, specifically in the area around modern-day Strathclyde.

The name Fotheringham traditionally denotes a person from a place of considerable importance. It is a name of great social and cultural significance, with numerous people bearing the name having achieved notable success in professional and personal life. Today, the most famous Fotheringham’s include renowned wrestler and sports commentator Titus O’Neil, comedian Hugh Dennis, and actor Charles Gray.

Fotheringham: Where does the name Fotheringham come from?

The surname Fotheringham is quite uncommon today. It is mainly found in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland. The roots of the name can be traced to the Middle Ages. The name is an Anglicised form of the old Gaelic name ‘Fotherinach’, which itself was derived from the Old Scots word ‘feudrunach’ or ‘fedrunach’. The literal translation of the term is ‘son of peace’, indicating that Fotheringhams were renowned as negotiators, diplomats, and peacemakers.

Historically, most of the Fotheringhams lived in the East and North East of Scotland. Clans in counties such as Banffshire, Perthshire, and Angus are where the surname is most prevalent. Today, it is more commonly found in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas.

For many centuries, Fotheringhams were laird of the lands of Whitehill and Lochfurly in Fife. The name Fotheringham is still found in the East, and now also in much of the United Kingdom. It is a very distinctive name and is quite unusual. For anyone who is a descendant of a Fotheringham, or bears this unique surname, they can be sure to have an interesting history of family ancestry from the Middle Ages.

Variations of the surname Fotheringham

The surname Fotheringham has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most popular and common surnames with the same root include the following: Fothergill, Fothergil, Fothergale, Fothergale, Fothergal, Fothergoll, Fothergoll, Fotherington, Fotheringe, Fotheringhame, Fotherinhale, Fetherinhale, Fethergill, Fethergill, Futheringhame, Futhergale, Futhergill, Fetherington, and Fetheropp.

The root of Fotheringham is Old English, referring to a 'farmstead of a man named Fodda'. The primary meaning of 'Fodda' was thought to be related to 'fodder', or 'feed' for animals, likely naming someone who was responsible for such a task. The old-English spelling for the name was 'Fodringeham' and 'Fotheringhame', which both evolved to become Fotheringham.

The earliest recording of a 'Fotheringham' was found in the 14th-century boundary rolls for Derbyshire, where Thomas de Fodringeham was listed as a tenant in chief with full privileges to that estate; the earliest recording of Fotheringham in Scotland was in 1180, with Jon de Fodryngham, listed in the records of the abbey of Holyrood. The earliest record of the Fotheringhame spelling is from Scotland in the 13th century, specifically in the Ragman rolls.

The modern spelling Fotheringham is found across the United Kingdom, as is Fothergill and its various spellings, Fetherington and Fetherinhale. Around the world, this surname has been adopted by various families, as the name is listed in USA, Canada, and Australia, with adaptations in some countries including Fothergham in Australia.

Famous people with the name Fotheringham

• Alice Fotheringham: British travel writer, adventurer and blogger
• Drew Fotheringham: Australian crime fiction author
• Fiona Fotheringham: British nature photographer and storyteller
• John Fotheringham: British Torpedo Lieutenant and Victoria Cross recipient
• Robert Fotheringham: Australian conservationist and nature photographer
• Jack Fotheringham: British wildfowler
• Georgina Fotheringham: British classical music composer
• Harry Fotheringham: Scottish soccer player and manager
• Freda Fotheringham: New Zealand writer and poet
• Jessie Fotheringham: Canadian artist
• James Fotheringham: Scottish footballer
• Joyce Fotheringham: Canadian Limnologist and coral reef ecologist
• Kyle Fotheringham: Canadian Olympic wrestler
• Neil Fotheringham: British theatre producer
• Peter Fotheringham: English cricketer
• William Fotheringham: British journalist and author

Other surnames

FotheringaleFotheringill