David Felton

History of the Felton Surname

The English surname Felton is toponymic in origin, belonging to that group of surnames derived from the place where a man once lived or where he once held land. In this case the surname can be traced back to the Old English "fell tun" meaning "fell farm", in other words a farm in open countryside, and the original bearer would have been one who dwelt "at the fell farm". The name Felton is also borne by several villages throughout England, any one of which may also have given rise to the surname; the principal sources of the name are Northumberland, Shropshire Herefordshire and Somerset although the seat of the Barons Felton, an old established noble family, is in Norfolk.

In 1208 we know of one Adam de Felton of Norfolk who appears in the King's Pleas. In 1297 Robert de Felton obtained a Royal Charter for a weekly market at his manor of Luchin in Norfolk and was a prominent member of Edward 1's army. In 1313 he was summoned to Parliament as Baron and was succeeded by his son John in the following year. He was the ancestor of the Baroness Felton of Suffolk (now extinct).

One William de Felton, who apparently bore no relation to the Norfolk family, was the Governor of Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland, contemporary with the aforementioned John, and he distinguished himself in the wars against Scotland and France. He too attended Parliament and as a Baron died in battle in Spain in 1367.

The surname entered America in the year 1774 when one Thomas Felton. "husbandman" of Middlesex, sailed to Virginia on the "Active" in November of that year at the age of twenty-two.

Felton Coat of Arms:

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