After months of investigations I, Adiberts (Eddie) Ferrer, son of Octavio Ferrer, grand son of Don Pilar Ferrer, great grand son of the Marques Enrique Ferrer, the last, from Sevilla, Andalucia, Spain have decided to make this special page about the History of the Family Ferrer.
According to my investigations the name "Ferrer" or "Ferriers" is originally from Normandy, France. The word Ferrer/Ferriers is a Latin word and was brought down by the Romans to France and has the meaning of Iron or he who puts iron shoes on horses. This is why the crest of the Ferrers always bear horse shoes.
According to Juan Facundo Ferrer, (Electronic Engineer) from Argentina, in his investigations, he states that family Ferrer first originated in France, the name comes from the French noble's "De Ferrers" the "de" before the name Ferrer in France indicates a higher rank among the noble families. I have confirmed the "de" factor, I have seen it being used by a Spanish Site on the internet about the Family Ferrer history and they used "de Ferrer" all through the article. http://www.ciudadfutura.com/apellidos/origen/FERRER.htm
Other investigations done by me and other people are the following, in 1066 the "Guillaume De Ferriers" from France crossed the English Channel with William Duke of Normandy later called William I (the Conqueror) to the battle of Hastings to battle Harold II Saxon King of England, to claim the English throne promised to William I by his cousin King Edward the Confessor after his death.
William I The Conqueror defeated the Saxons. De Ferriers stayed in England as nobles and the "de" was not used in England and the "de" was dropped and the "i" was dropped and was left just plain Ferrer. In England the Ferrers live for centuries and there are still Ferrers living there now. They were known to be expert horse breeders and riders. This could be another reason that the crest bears horse shoes. Not all crests bear 3 horse shoes from the Ferrers, I saw one that bears 6 horse shoes and I have seen one that bears one, the ones with 3 and 1 horse shoes had a Knight in Amour. Juan F. Ferrer just sent me 4 different crests that he found in his investigations. The 3rd one is from Germany and does not bear the classical horse shoes. The 4th one is Juan F. Ferrer's Family's crest it bears one horse shoe. Thank you Juan.
http://www.my-ged.com/db/page/dorsett/8167
Here is more information sent by Juan, the Ferrers
had 2 Castles and hundreds of manors in England click below to see the Castle
and the history.
http://www.hdd.co.uk/heritage/tutbury.htm
In the early 1263, Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby,
married to the King's niece and put together a private force (Army)
to operate in the west of England. This Army
violently attacked and
destroyed the city of Worcester.
The de Ferrers were powerful landowners. In Tutbury, the castle occupies a strong defensive position on the Stafforshire side of the River Dove, where it marks the border with Derbyshire. William the Conqueror transferred the ownership to Henry de Ferrers in 1071 and Tutbury became his principal residence in the holding of over two hundred manors. Before he died in 1089 he is said to have built a castle in Duffield, a few miles to the north of Derby, near the A6. In Norman times it was the approach to Frifth a Royal Forest some thirty miles in circumference, well stocked with deer. Duffield Castle, built on the mound now know as Castle Hill, was without doubt the largest and most spectacular of Derbyshire's vanished castles.
Check out the "Derbyshire Connection" below for more interesting information.
http://home.freeuk.net/evesham/newsletters/xmas1999/xmas1999.htm
Thank you Juan.
So how did the Ferrers get to Spain? According to Juan Facundo Ferrer and some investigating I did myself. In the year of 1099 the Spanish Hero "El Cid" had died in Valencia, Spain, after the death of El Cid the Moors took over Valencia.
In 1238 Don Jaime the I of Aragón and his Army went to Valencia, Spain to restore Christian control and defeat the Moors. According to Juan F. Ferrer with him went two Knights of the Ferrer's Family, they were Bernardo Ferrer, Earl of Derby and Muxias Ferrer, Milord of Scotland, because of their service in the battle they were awarded with territories and towns that belonged to the Ali-Boix, the Muslim Governor.
Other investigations I came across is that the Ferrers that came from England established themselves in Cataluña (Catalunya), Baleares, Aragon y Valencia. They proved their noble blood on various occasions in the orders of Santiago, Clatrava, Montesa, Carlos III and San Juan de Jerusalén.
On the 21 of Dec. 1784 Don Antonio Ferrer was awarded the title of Baron of Sabasona, and Don Melchor Ferrer was authorized to use the title in Spain of Baron Ferrer.
I also found in my investigations that there is a Saint in the family known as Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419). He is the Patron Saint of Carlet and in Spain they celebrate some of the extraordinary miracles he did, they celebrate this on the 5th of April each year. He was a Spanish Monk and Teacher. His brother Boniface Ferrer was General of the Carthuians.
Mrs. Micheal Solek Ferrer the "Artist" just sent me 2 very good sites about St. Vincent Ferrer. There is a complete history about St. Vincent on this site, that you will find interesting, thank you Mrs. Micheal. Check this out.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15437a.htm
Here's one site that speaks of all his extraordinary miracles in detail, some which are unbelievable, judge for yourself. Check it out, you will find this history very interesting.
http://olrl.org/lives/ferrer.html
One historian wrote; "It is a immense enterprise, to write a life of which every incident was a miracle."
There are other famous Ferrers, such as Jose Ferrer the famous actor and his son Miguel Ferrer.
Around 1840 my great grand father the Marques Enrique Ferrer came to Puerto Rico and that is where my family line comes from here in Hatillo, Puerto Rico.
If you know any more information and are sure it is correct about the Family's History, please contact me at:
If the information you give is used, you will be given credit.
I hope you have found this information interesting, I as a Ferrer sure did.
References:
My references were my father Octavio Ferrer, Juan F. Ferrer, Encyclopedia Encarta, Family History. com, "The Catholic Encyclopedia", "Our Lady of the Rosemary Library", the internet, various sites and other Ferrers on the internet.
Juan F. Ferrer, his references were: "Arcivo Historico de Madrid", " Biblioteca Nacionial de Madrid", "Linajes de la Governacion del Tucuman", " Archivo parroquiales y de los ayuntanimentos de diferentes localidades de Espana", " Archivo General de Indias, Sevilla Espana", " Archivo Historico de Cordoba Argentina", " Archivo de Curia Eclesastica de Cordoba Argentina", "Archivo Municipal de Cordoba, Argentina", "Enciclopedia Heraldica y Genealogica Hispano American de Alfredo y Arturo Garcia Caraffa" and " Obras completas de Juan Carlos de Guerra".
Web Master: Adiberts (Eddie) Ferrer
