Foy
A surname with several possible origins, most often from the French phrase for “faith” or from a medieval personal name.
The #2,786 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 23,838 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Foy can be a shortened or altered form connected with Old French foy or foi, meaning “faith,” ultimately from Latin fides. In medieval England it was sometimes used as a nickname or byname with the sense “the faithful one,” and some early records link it with forms like Foye or Poye. It may also in some cases reflect a place-name origin or be an altered form of another surname, so not every family named Foy shares the same source.
History
The name is found in medieval English records, including forms such as Foy, Foye, and Poye, especially in Yorkshire and other parts of England. One branch used the motto “Pure foy est ma joie,” which reflects the old French meaning “pure faith is my joy.” Later the surname appears in Britain and in overseas records, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The old family motto “Pure foy est ma joie” is a direct nod to the surname’s connection with “faith.”
From the historical record
“bridge, Durham, and Leicester. FOY. A parish in co. Hereford. FOYSTER. An evident corruption of Forester, resulting from mispronunciation of the letter R. FRAIX. See Freyne. FRAMPTON. Parishes, &c., in cos. Dorset, Gloucester, Lincoln, &c. The Framptons of the first-named county have resided at Morcton from 13S5.…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Foy
- Claire Foy (b. 1984)
- Mackenzie Foy (b. 2000)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.