Fiennes

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A English family surname borne by notable people such as the actor Ralph Fiennes and the explorer Ranulph Fiennes
2. A surname of English origin, carried by public figures including the actor Ralph Fiennes and the polar explorer Ranulph Fiennes
3. The family name of several prominent British people, among them the film actor Ralph Fiennes and adventurer Ranulph Fiennes

Etymology: Fiennes is a surname, and it comes from a place. The family took its name from the village of Fiennes in northern France, in the Pas-de-Calais region, and carried it to England after the Norman Conquest. The surname is not pronounced as it looks. The family's own tradition is "Fynes," a pronunciation many people still get wrong. The name is best known through the Fiennes family of England, whose members have included peers, soldiers, and officials. Its most famous bearers today include the actor Ralph Fiennes and the explorer Ranulph Fiennes, who are not known to be related to one another in any close way.