Farthing

Farthing
This interesting and unusual name has three possible origins, the first of which is of Anglo-Saxon derivation from the Old English pre 7th Century word "feorthing", meaning a quarter of a penny, a derivative of "feower", four. In Middle English this became "farden" or "ferthing". The term was used as a nickname for someone who paid a farthing in rent or who had some other anecdotal connection with a farthing. The second possible origin is from a topographical surname for someone who lived on a "farthing" of land, a medieval division meaning the fourth part of a larger area. The third origin is from the Old Norse personal name "Farthegn", composed of the elements "fara", to go and "thegn", a warrior, or hero. Edward Farthing, an early emigrant to the New World, was recorded as resident in the parish of St. Michaels in the Barbadoes in 1678. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Farthain which was dated circa 1163 - 1166, Documents relating to the Danelaw, London, during the reign of King Henry 11, "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surnames reference. 2013.

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  • Farthing — is an old word meaning a fourth or a quarter. In modern usage it could refer to: *Farthing (British coin), an old British coin valued one quarter of a penny *Farthing (Irish coin), its counterpart among the predecimal Irish coins *farthing, an… …   Wikipedia

  • farthing — ● farthing nom masculin (anglais farthing) Ancienne monnaie britannique valant un quart de penny. ⇒FARTHING, subst. masc. Ancienne monnaie anglaise, en cuivre, dont la valeur équivaut au quart d un penny. Il savait par cœur le péage des phares,… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Farthing — von 1719 Ein Farthing war eine britische Münze im Wert eines Viertelpenny. Das Substantiv stammt aus dem Altenglischen fēorþing/fēorþung (fēorþa + ing/ung = „Vierting/Viertung“ [ein Vierter]; vgl. anord. „fjórðungr“). Diese Münzen wurde vom 13.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Farthing — Far thing, n. [OE. furthing, AS. fe[ o]r[eth]ung, fr. fe[ o]r[eth]a fourth, fe[ o]r, fe[ o]wer, four. See {Four}.] 1. The fourth of a penny; a small copper coin of Great Britain, being a cent in United States currency. [1913 Webster] 2. A very… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • farthing — ► NOUN 1) a former monetary unit and coin of the UK, equal to a quarter of an old penny. 2) the least possible amount: she didn t care a farthing. ORIGIN Old English, «fourth» …   English terms dictionary

  • Farthing — (spr. Farshing), englische Kupfermünze, 1/4 Penny, mit der Britannia. die irländische mit der Harfe, etwa 21/2 preuß. Pfennig …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Farthing — (spr. fārdhing, Farding), engl. Münze von 1/4 Penny, bis 1860 in Kupfer geprägt, für Kolonien auch in halben und viertel Stücken, seitdem in Bronze 2,835 g schwer. Für Gibraltar wurden 1841 ganze Stücke (Cuarto) und halbe, für Malta 1844 dem… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Farthing — (Farding), engl. Bronzemünze zu 1/4 Penny = etwa 21/8 Pf; überhaupt kleines Geld. Farthingdeal, Fardingdeal (spr. dihl), Fardel oder Farundel, das Viertel des Acre Landes, gewöhnlicher Rood genannt …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Farthing — Farthing, engl. Kupfermünze = 1/4 Penny …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Farthing —   [ fɑːȓɪȖ; englisch, eigentlich »Viertel«, »vierter Teil« (von etwas)] der, (s)/ , Fạrding, ehemalige (bis 1. 1. 1961) kleinste englische beziehungsweise britische Münze, ¼ Penny, geprägt seit Eduard I., anfangs aus Silber, seit dem 17.… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • farthing — O.E. feorðung quarter of a penny, a dim. derivative of feorða fourth (from feower four ) + ing fractional part. Cognate with O.Fris. fiardeng, M.L.G. verdink, O.N. fjordhungr. Used in biblical translation of L. quadrans quarter of a denarius; the …   Etymology dictionary

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