Furness

The story

1. Old Irish · derived fromfoithir“wood; slope”
2. Old English · derived fromfodor“fodder”
3. English todayFurness

* The placename is of Old Norse origin; the second element is nes (“headland”). The first has been variously explained as: ** the obsolete futh (“rump”) + nes (“headland”), possibly referring to Piel Island. ** derived from Old English fodor (“fodder”) ** McClure suggested a derivation from Old Irish foithir (“wood; slope”) * The surname is from the above place. * As an English surname of Norman origin, variant of Furneaux, Furnace. * As a Norwegian surname, old variant of Furnes, from several farmstead names derived from Old Norse fura (“pine”) + nes (“headland”).

Words from the same roots