Fenech is a surname about whose origins there are several hypotheses. The most notable is the meaning of "rabbit", since is rabbit in
Maltese. This in turn comes from the
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
word for fox, (, "
fennec fox
The fennec fox (''Vulpes zerda'') is a small crepuscular fox native to the deserts of North Africa, ranging from Western Sahara to the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat and l ...
") which like the rabbit has large ears as its distinguishing feature and may have been confused during the development of the Maltese language, which is a descendant of the
Siculo-Arabic
Siculo-Arabic ( ar, الْلهجَة الْعَرَبِيَة الْصَقلِيَة), also known as Sicilian Arabic, is the term used for varieties of Arabic that were spoken in the Emirate of Sicily (which included Malta) from the 9th century, ...
dialect. The word is also thought to be a respelling of , the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
for
millet
Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets al ...
farmer. A possible
Iranian
Iranian may refer to:
* Iran, a sovereign state
* Iranian peoples, the speakers of the Iranian languages. The term Iranic peoples is also used for this term to distinguish the pan ethnic term from Iranian, used for the people of Iran
* Iranian lan ...
derivation of the word has also been suggested.
"Phoenician" variation
Another variation is formed from the word ''
Phoenicia
Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...
ns''. In fact, some bearers of this surname use the horse, a Phoenician symbol, on their crest rather than the rabbit.
"Fenwick" variation
Another variation is an
Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxons were a Cultural identity, cultural group who inhabited England in the Early Middle Ages. They traced their origins to settlers who came to Britain from mainland Europe in the 5th century. However, the ethnogenesis of the Anglo- ...
one where it is derived from a family living in ''Fenwick'', which was in
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land on ...
and the
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county County of York, West Riding (the area under the control of West Riding County Council), abbreviated County ...
. This name was originally derived from the English ''
fen
A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetlands along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires. T ...
n'' which means "marsh" and ''
wic
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an American federal assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for healthcare and nutritio ...
'', which means "a farm". The surname
Fenwick is still widely found in northern England and has spread through most English-speaking countries.
Notable people
*
Chantal Bondin,
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Fenech (born 1980), Maltese footballer
*
David Fenech (born 1969), French musician
*
Eddie Fenech Adami
Edoardo "Eddie" Fenech Adami, (born 7 February 1934) is a Maltese politician and Nationalist politician who served as the prime minister of Malta from 1987 until 1996, and again from 1998 until 2004. Subsequently, he was the seventh president ...
(born 1934), Prime Minister of Malta
*
Edwige Fenech
Edwige Fenech (, ; born 24 December 1948) is an Algerian-born Maltese-Sicilian actress and film producer. She is mostly known as the star of a series of ''commedia sexy all'italiana'' and ''giallo'' films released in the 1970s, which turned her ...
(born 1948), Maltese-Italian actress and producer
*
Francis Fenech
Francis Xavier Fenech (17 March 1892 – 13 May 1969) was a Maltese prelate who became the first bishop of Jhansi in India.
He was born in Floriana Malta on 17 March 1892. He studied at St Aloysius College in Birkirkara. At the age of 19 he join ...
(1892–1969), Maltese prelate who became a bishop in India
*
Georges Fenech (born 1954), French politician
*
Jeff Fenech
Jeff Fenech (born 28 May 1964) is an Australian former professional boxer who competed between 1984 and 2008. He won world titles in three weight divisions, having held the IBF bantamweight title from 1985 to 1987, the WBC super-bantamweight ...
(born 1964), Maltese-Australian boxer
*
Mario Fenech
Mario Fenech (nicknamed "The Maltese Falcon", “Falcon”, or "Muzza"; born 11 November 1961) is a Maltese Australian rugby league personality. He is a former player of the game who had a lengthy career in the New South Wales/Australian Rugby ...
(born 1961), Maltese-Australian rugby player
*
Paul Fenech
Paul Fenech (born 21 November 1972) is an Australian filmmaker, film and television actor, director, producer and writer. He is best known for writing, directing, producing and starring in the television series ''Pizza'', ''Swift and Shift Cou ...
(born 1972), Maltese-Australian comedian
*
Paul Fenech (footballer) (born 1986), Maltese footballer
*
Ryan Fenech (born 1986), Maltese footballer
*
Tonio Fenech (born 1969), Finance Minister of Malta
*
Yorgen Fenech
Yorgen Fenech (born 23 November 1981) is a Maltese businessman whose main interests are casinos and hotels in Malta. He was head of the Tumas Group and director of the Maltese-Azerbaijan-German company ElectroGas Malta.
Suspected of bribing ...
(born 1981), Maltese businessman
See also
*
Fenech (disambiguation)
References
{{surname
Maltese-language surnames