Johannes de Farndall

c1334 to c1405

A freeman of York in 1397 through patrimony from his father

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Nepotism

Johannes was the son of Johannes de Farnedale, and he was probably born in about 1330. At that time his father was at Cropton at the south end of Rosedale, growing oats there. Then in 1336, his father took on a substantial debt of £8 and it seems likely that the family moved to York soon afterwards where his father set up a new business as a saddler.

Johannes was made a freeman of York in 1397 when he might have been about 33. Freemanship of York could be obtained by patrimony. Patrimony is when the children of a Freeman claimed freedom of the City as their heritage. The Patrimony Admission Register of Freemen of the City of York include Johannes de Farndall, fil. Johannis de Farndall, sadler.

It seems likely that Johannes was the father of John, Henry and William, who were archers or men at arms in the Wars in Scotland in 1389. Johannes Fernedill became a freeman butcher of York.

How does Johannes de Farndall relate to the modern family?

It is not possible to be accurate about the early family tree, before the recording of births, marriages and deaths in parish records, but we do have a lot of medieval material including important clues on relationships between individuals. The matrix of the family before about 1550 is the most probable structure based on the available evidence.

If it is accurate, Johannes de Farndall, was related to the thirteenth century ancestors of the modern Farndale family, and was part of the York Line. He was possibly the brother of William and Nicholas who settled in Doncaster from whom the modern Farndales might descend.

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The original webpage of Johannis de Farendale includes a chronology and reference to source material.