| Fenech | |
| Pronunciation: | in Maltese ˈfɛnɛk/ |
| Language: | Maltese |
| Language origin: | Arabic |
| Derivation: | fanak |
| Meaning: | "fox" |
Fenech is a surname about whose origins there are several hypotheses. The most notable is the meaning of "rabbit", since Maltese: fenek is rabbit in Maltese.[1] This in turn comes from the Arabic word for fox, ("fennec fox") 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 dialect. The word is also thought to be a respelling of German: Fenich, the German for millet farmer.[2] A possible Persian derivation of the word has also been suggested.[3]
Another variation is formed from the word Phoenicians. In fact, some bearers of this surname use the horse, a Phoenician symbol, on their crest rather than the rabbit.
Another variation is an Anglo-Saxon one where it is derived from a family living in Fenwick, which was in Northumberland and the West Riding of Yorkshire. This name was originally derived from the English fenn which means "marsh" and wic, which means "a farm". The surname Fenwick is still widely found in northern England and has spread through most English-speaking countries.
. Patrick Hanks. American Family Name Origins. Dictionary of American Family Names. 2006.