Probably John Fayreye of Flitwick.
Historians of the Priory of Dunstable believe that John Fayrey was possibly the father of Henry Fayrey. They do concede that Henry's son was John Fayrey the husband of Mary Butler.
The only feasible candidate for this John is John Fayreye of Flitwick. The Flitwick property passes down this family line until 1824 when it passes to the Adams family. John's property in Dunstable passes down his son Henry's line. We know that the Flitwick Farrs and Dunstable Farrs are connected to our John Fayre through the wills of all the cousins.
Formation of Surnames
The Anglo-Saxons used only personal names, sometimes with nicknames and patronymics, so it was not until after the Norman Conquest that inherited surnames were adopted. Originally these were only borne by nobles and were likely to be restricted to the place of origin, preceded by 'de' as in modern French, or the father's name preceded by 'Fitz' (from French fils 'son').
Comments by A. L. Ferreri:
The above statement on the formation of surnames among the Normans is paradoxically, both too general and restricted and could be true in some cases but not, as an example, in the case of the Ferrers line in England, which came from Normandy/Brittany to England. The Ferrers line is in fact an ancient one, predating the rise of Norman-power in Normandie, that of the Merovingian King Clovis of the Franks, that of Charlemagne of the Carolingians, that of the Capetians etc. and continues back to the times of the Roman Empire, as the surname shows to have its roots in a Latin irregular verb-: fero-tuli-latum-ferre to which the Latin word for iron, i.e., ferrum also relates. It may even be possible that the Latin fero relates to the Hebrew verb pharr but then, the relation to the word iron would disappear in a Semitic scenario.
One must always remember that at Hasting (Senlac Hill) there were three contingents under the command of William the Conqueror. There was a Norman contingent at the centre of the battle-line, a French and sundries [[ Germans (Montfort=BastenBerg), Italians (Beauchamp=Bellocampo), Provencals, Flemish, Burgundians, etc. ]] at the right wing and a Breton one at the left wing. Saxons and Danes had surnames but these were not hereditary. For example, I believe Harold was surnamed Hardraada. I believe that even among the Saxons common people also had surnames, however there were no means/resources to record these. Hence we tend to conclude that they did not have any surname. If we did not have the communication-resources we enjoy, we also would do away with surnames as a luxury. We know about each other's surnames through the resources we posess. else we would also be, in practice, surnameless.
Yes among the Irish the records of the Irish and Scottish Kings are quite extensive and complete. If one reads Tacitus the Roman historian, one is supplied with name and surname of non-patrician Romans. However, records do not show their descendents as only wealthy patricians with resources could afford recordings, perhaps by hiring an historian or a scribe to compile a written record, or the famous would be recorded at public expenses in stoneworks.
The use of names and surnames presupposes the existence of an alphabet, writing and recordings, perhaps even visual ones such as heraldic devices. The science of language of heraldry began in about 900 AD.
Alternatively, in the absence of written records and the safe places in which to store these, it presupposes the limited reliance on the extraordinary memory of the Bards and this meant that only Royal and Princely lines could be memorized.
The idea and need of a name and differentiating surname has always existed, however dominated by the available resources required to record and perpetuate these.
Before 1000 AD Roman societies were divided in patricians and non-patricians. The word 'patrician' from pater meaning-: father, refers to a person's having a personal record about his ancestry about his fathers. Such a person, if living on his/her historical, ancestral territory, generally belonged to the founding fathers of the village, town etc. Even at the beginning of the Middle Ages after the Dark Ages, in about 1000 AD every Italian townlet had its founding fathers duly recorded in the local records. These were the nobles who jealously guarded their status. There was not yet one predominant one among those claiming founder-father status in townlets, as the Roman custom of sharing power was still in force in Italian society. However as the struggles between Empire and Papacy began to weaken centralization feudalism arose and individual nobles began to agitate for dominance in the areas where they had most of their resources.
Upon achieving dominance in an area, the need to establish a hereditary line also arose and the search for a distinctive surname. In Lombardy for example, one can read about Ferreri, Ferrari, Visconti, Sforza, Scaligeri, Acuto, etc.
LL1/49 (Get this doc in Luton!!)
Title Grant: William Fayreye of Denel to William Wythamour of Flitwick, William Bunbury & Henry Potter of Eston, & Thomas Da of Flitton. All his lands & tenements in Flitwick and Denel. Witness: John Lucy, Walter Man, Nicholas Olneye, William Felour, John Croft.
Date 1443
Diplomatic notes seal: a fragment
LL1/50
Title Grant: Henry Potter of Estoun' to John Bunbury of Estoun.
Date 1454
Scope and Content Half acre and a swathe of meadow (andena) in Brodemede, abutting North on the 'communis ripa'. Personal names:Thomas Arnold. Witnesses: Thomas Cranewell, John Croft, William Olneye, Ralf Olneye, John Fayreye.(has to be at least 21)
Diplomatic notes Seal
Keywords East End, Flitwick; FLITWICK; fields, Flitwick
Reference LL1/52
Title Demise: John son of William Bunbury of Estoun, Reginald son of Richard Welyco of Flitton, Edmund son of John Welyams of Soulbury, to John Fayreye of Denehyll (at least 46 now).
Date 1479
Scope and Content A tenement formerly of John Hermere at Denehyll between John Cook & John Grene, reaching from the highway to the Common Field. Further, of 21 acres one and a half rood of land & meadow; whereof 1 acre lies in East Field towards a croft late of Henry Stepingle & land of Nicholas Olney; half acre in Flete Furlong, next the Prior of Dunstable; 1 acre towards Cranewellus Crofte, next Henry Coton; 2 acres together on Blakelond, next William Page; 1 rood on Brook Furlong next the lord; 1 rood under Pesecroft; 1 acre at Fletefurlong next John Rawlynsone; 1 and a half rood together in Nethur Henxhyll under Ryehegge; 1 rood in the same next the Prior of Dunstable; 1 rood being the headland (forera) of Blakelond; half acre being the headland of Myddelfurlong & of Cranewellecrof Furlong; half acre under Cranewellecrof next Nicholas Olney; 1 acre on Ouere Smaluan next William Sheperde, abutting South on Whytebrede; 5 roods together on Henxhull called the Flete Furlong, next the Prior; 1 acre on Myddellfurlong in Henxhull, next the Prior; 1 acre in West Field next the lord, at the end of Sere Pers Croft; half acre in Newedyche Furlong, next the Prior; half acre at Rugewey next John Lucas; half acre on Thorn Furlong, next late Richard Boynoun; 1 rood in the same next Henry Stepyngle; half acre on Myddel Furlong next William Gulle; 3 roods together at the Shepcote next William Bunbury; half acre at Akeryerde Furlong, next the Piror; half acre at Spanhale next the lord; half acre under Flytwode next the Prior; half acre at Brodelayes next late William Fayreye; half acre in the same next Walter Man; half acre on Henxhull in Myddel Furlong next William Fayreye; half acre in Holewey Furlong, next John Tayllour, abutting on a headland of the Prior; half acre in Hodych next the Prior; 3 rood together in Spanhale next the lord's wood; half acre next Flitwick Wood, next Richard Boynoun, abutting on Spanhale. Also half acre of meadow in Smalvanmede next the Prior; 1 rood on Nethersmalvan next the Prior; 1 rood in the same next John Cranewell. All of which the fathers of the grantors, now deceased, held jointly with John Wheler now deceased, by the feoffment of Thomas Fayreye also deceased (Possible father or brother of William). Witnesses: John Cotun, John Grene, John Cranewell, Thomas Fyndell, William Grene.
Keywords FLITWICK; fields, Flitwick; East End, Flitwick; field names
