FELLS
Fells
The surname Fells is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "fell," which originally referred to a barren or stony hill. Over time, it came to be used to describe a high, lonely, and desolate area or a treeless upland tract.
Distribution
The surname Fells is most commonly found in the northern counties of England, particularly in Cumbria and Northumberland, where the landscape features many fells, in line with the etymology of the name.
Notable Individuals
John Fells (1782–1864)
- A prominent industrialist and philanthropist, known for his contributions to the development of railways in the North of England.
Alice Fells (1920–2010)
- An accomplished botanical artist whose detailed illustrations of native British flora are held in several prestigious collections.
Variants
Variants of the surname Fells include Fell, Felle, and Fellsman. The name has also been anglicized to Fellows in some instances.
Coat of Arms
The Fells family coat of arms features a depiction of a rugged hill, symbolizing strength and resilience, set against a field of blue to represent loyalty and truth. The crest includes the image of a golden lion, denoting courage and bravery.
References
- Reaney, P.H., and Wilson, R.M. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.
- Lower, M.A. Patronymica Britannica: A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. J.R. Smith, 1860.
Typical given names associated with the Fells surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Julian
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Ann
- Christine
- Emma
- Glenis
- Jane
- Janet
- Joanna
- Judith
- Linda
- Margaret
- Michelle
- Samantha
- Wendy
Similar and related surnames
- Falls
- Fales
- Fails
- Fauls
- Fall
- Feal
- Fallis
- Fallas
- Falis
- Fallows
- Fale
- Fawls
- Feallows
- Feally
- Fell
- Fella
- Feel
- Feil
- Fel
- Fele
- Feles
- Felis
- Fellas
- Felle
- Felles
- Felli
- Fellis
- Fello
- Felloes
- Fellous
- Fellows
- Fellus
- Felly
- Fels
- Felse
- Felus
- Felz
- Fiell
- Fill
- Filles
- Fills
- Fils
- Fles
- Fols
- Valls
- Vealls
- Veals
- Veils
- Vell
- Vells
- Vels
- Vills
- Fallais
- Falys
- Feales
- Feeles
- Feilla
- Feilly
- Feliz
- Fellah
- Felley
- Fellow
- Fellowes
- Fellsay
- Felowes
- Felps
- Felts
- Pfehl
- Pfeil
- Pheils
- Phels
- Phills
- Veall
- Vellis
- Flaws
- Follows
- Foulis
- Fyles
- Phillis
- Vallis
- Vials
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Fells in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 475 people named Fells in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around seven in a million people in Britain are named Fells.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Fells
- Tommy Fells - Football player (1890 to 1)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.