Freckleton

The village of Freckleton, in the parish of Kirkham, near Preston in Lancashire, is the origin of this interesting surname. Freckleton (the village) is first recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, in the spelling of "Frecheltun." This translates as "The home of Freca" the latter being an Olde English pre 10th century personal name meaning "The bold." Most later post medieval locational surnames developed when the original inhabitants, for whatever reason, left their homes and went out into the world. However in this case the Freckletons did not leave home in any numbers until the late 18th century, the name being well recorded in Kirkham Parish from the very commencement of church registers in Circa 1540. This suggests that the Freckletons descend from the ancient land owners who may have held the title of Lords of the Manor of Freckleton. Certainly the early heraldic records refer to a Coat of Arms granted to Freckelton of Lancaster being a silver field, charged with a red fleur de lis. This emblem usually signifies victory over the French, and would suggest a period around the year 1400. On the Coronation Day of James 1 in 1603, Sir Ferdinando Freckleton was knighted at Dublin Castle, Ireland, for services to the crown. Examples of the name recording include Ralf Freckleton, also recorded as "Raffe," who married Elizabeth Bradley at Kirkham, on May 12th 1554, and much later James Frecleton, who was a witness at the christening of his daughter Margaret, at Manchester Cathedral on April 19th 1835. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Freckleton, which was dated April 24th 1541, a christening witness at Kirkham Church, Lancashire, during the reign of King Henry V111, known as "Bluff King Hal" 1510 - 1547. 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.