Recorded as Farrington, Forringdon, Forrington, Forrinton, and probably others, this is an English locational surname. It originates from one of several places in England called originally Faryngton, the name translating as 'the place where the ferns grow'. It is a very ancient surname, and has also been recorded in Ireland since the year 1399. At this time Simon de Faryngton was Lord Treasurer and baron of the Exchequer of Ireland, whilst in 1413 a Hugh Farrington, is recorded as conducting an enquiry into excise duties on imported wines. Early examples of the surname recording in England include Johannes de Feryngton of Yorkshire in the Poll Tax rolls of 1379, John Farington of Farington in Lancashire, whose will was recorded at Chester in 1595, and in London, Jane Forrington who married Richard Cooper at St Pancras Old Church, on January 11th 1835.The name is particularly associated with Farrington in Lancashire, although Farrington Gurney, a village in Somerset, is known to have produced some nameholders, although often in the spelling of Farringdon. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Roger de Faryndon. This was dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of the county of Somerset, during the reign of King Edward 1st, known as 'The hammer of the Scots', 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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