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I have been researching my family tree since my paternal grandfather died in 1976. Whilst researching my mother's ancestry I started recording every instance of her maternal grandmother's name FARMERY and so my one-name study was born! I now record every instance of the name I find all over the world, and my database currently contains over 51,600 name events. I am constructing family trees for each family group and try to put distant cousins in touch!

My study covers the FARMERY surname and known variants such as FARMEARY, FARMEREY, FARMARY and FARMERIE, as well as instances of the name being used as a forename rather than surname.


Sunday, 5 September 2010

Old Surname Spellings

From my database the first recorded instance of the surname Farmery is 1545-7 in London and 1551 in Lincolnshire. I have a number of earlier events but for spelling variants, the earliest being from 1186-1199. Listed below are the various different spellings found in these early times:

1186-1199: Jordan de Infirmaria witnessed a grant of maintenance from Reading Abbey [Reading Abbey Cartulary]

1205?: William Framery (Framerii) [manuscript relating to Earl of Leicester]

1200-1215: Roger de Infirmaria witnessed sale to the prior and convent of St Gregory, Canterbury [Ancient Canterbury Deeds]

1220-1230: gift of a messuage in Reading to Ralph de Infirmario for his homage and service [Reading Abbey Cartulary]

1216-1244: Robert de Fermeria witnessed sale of land at Croxton, Leicestershire [Charters and Muniments at Berkeley Castle]

1240-1250: Grant of land from Roger de Infirmitorio, of Croxton, Leicestershire [Charters and Muniments at Berkeley Castle]

1251/2?: Inquisition regarding Carlisle Forest - John de Furmerie [Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society]

1240-1256: Thomas de ffermeria witnessed grant of land [Cockersand Abbey Cartulary]

1274/5: arraignment against James de la Fermerie [Patent Rolls, Waltham, Essex]

1274/5: arraignment by John de Furmerys [Patent Rolls, Tallentire, Cumberland]

1275/6: arraignment against Roger de la Fermerie [Patent Rolls, Hill, Gloucestershire]

1278/9: arraignment by Simon de la Fermerye [Patent Rolls, Stanford, Bedfordshire]

1287: brother R[obert] de Furmerey, Canon of Giseburne, licensed to transfer to a stricter order [Gyseburne Priory Cartulary]

1293: Lettice de Firmaria [Chester Pleas Rolls]

1298: indebtedness of King to Alan de la Fermerye of Spalding: 12l 16s 8d for 2 sacks 24 stone [Patent Rolls]

1313: counsel of Richard del Fermorie of Werk [Inquisition Post Mortem, Morpeth, Northumberland]

1326: death of Simon de la Fermorie, skinner [Coroners Rolls, Walbrooke St Stephen, Middlesex]

1377: Robert Firmarie, pouchmaker [Calendar of Letter-books, London]

1535: William Furmarie of Egmanton [PCY will]

1545-7: William Farmery alais Baynton [Enrolments of Leases and Pensions, London]

1551: John Farmery of Northorpe [PCC will]

Today Farmery is the main surname spelling found, with a small number of families using Farmerey and Farmeary (pronounced "farmery"). Another variant I have recently come across is Farmere (pronounced "farm-year") on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

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