The surnames Falshaw, Fel(l)shaw, Faulshaw and Fulshaw were for many years considered to be locational, and derive entirely from a manor called Fulshaw in the parish of Wilmslow, Cheshire. This manor had the translated meaning of "The wood of the wildfowl" from the Olde English pre 6th century "Fugelere-scaga". The Cheshire recordings show a continual development of the name from Fulshaw as John Fulshawe of Frodsham in 1633 through Esther Faulshaw of Chester in 1732 to Ann Falshaw who married a John Grimes at Stoke by Chester on September 14th 1777. Unfortunately this hypothesis is rather spoilt by the fact that the surname as Faldschawe is found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls in 1379 (Willelmus Faldschawe), and as Falshaw, (Agnes Falshaw of Giggleswick) on November 25th 1571, the name being prominent in Upper Wharfedale. This would suggest that a place called Falshaw or similar may have existed in Yorkshire - as well. The first records of the new colony of Virginia dated February 16th 1623, report that Samwell Fulshaw "is dead at ye plantacon against James cittie". He was one of the first American Colonists. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mathew de Fulscha, which was dated Circa 1200, The Land Charter registry of Cheshire, during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. 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.

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