Felmingham

An Anglo-Saxon pre 9th Century locational name originally from the village of Felmingham in the County of Norfolk and near to Norwich. The name means the home (ham) of the family or son (ing) of fell -a personal name probably derived from Feldt or Veldt - an area cleared for agriculture. Most locational names were given either to the Lord of the Manor, as in this case, or to another area. The name also has a dialectual variant spelling of 'Fellam', a typical East Anglia transposition. The Coat of Arms of Fellingham is red, a fesse between three silver martlets. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Peter Flewingham (as spelt). which was dated 1685 Land Owner and Master in Barbadoes. during the reign of King James 11 The last Catholic King 1685 - 1689. 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.