Fleming Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Fleming last name means, where the surname began and where it was first recorded.
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Meaning and origin of the Fleming last name
Meaning of the Fleming last name: man from Flanders. Fleming means "man from Flanders", from Old French flamenc. Flemish settlers came to Britain in the 11th and 12th centuries as soldiers, weavers and traders, and many were given land in southern Scotland and south-west Wales. The Flemings were lords of Biggar and Cumbernauld, later Earls of Wigtown, and Flemings also settled in Meath in Ireland, where they became Barons of Slane. Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, was born in Ayrshire. Henry I settled Flemish colonists in Pembrokeshire in the early 12th century, and the area later became known as "Little England beyond Wales". Fleming families emigrated to North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Fleming name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Fleming name in Scotland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Ireland and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
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Your full Fleming pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Fleming coat of arms for you.
Fleming name FAQ
What does the Fleming name mean?
Man from Flanders. Common variants include Flemming, Flemyng, Le Fleming.
Where does the Fleming surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Canada.
Is there a Fleming coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Fleming crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Fleming coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.