Fox Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Fox last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Fox last name
Meaning of the Fox last name: nickname for a cunning person. Fox began as a nickname for a clever or sly person, or for someone with red hair, from Old English fox. It is recorded in England from the 13th century and is widespread, with concentrations in the Midlands and East Anglia. In Ireland it translated the Gaelic Ó Catharnaigh of Westmeath, a family known in Irish as An Sionnach, "the fox". George Fox, founder of the Quakers in the 17th century, carried the name to fame. The animal nickname is found in many languages, giving the German Fuchs, the French Renard and the Italian Volpe, all of which also became surnames. In England the name is recorded as le Fox from the 13th century. In Ireland this family later held the barony of Kilcoursey, now in County Offaly, until the 1640s. In the United States, Fox has also been adopted by families of German, Jewish and Irish origin, as an English form of Fuchs and other names.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Fox name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Fox name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Ireland and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Fox name FAQ
What does the Fox name mean?
Nickname for a cunning person. Common variants include Foxe, Foxx, Todd.
Where does the Fox surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Australia.
Is there a Fox coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Fox crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Fox coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.