Fiander
Dear Nicole
Fiander appears to be a Huguenot name. It occurs at the beginning of the 17th century in Dorset, particularly round Blandford Forum and Fiander is still a name found in that town today. Just guessing that the first Fiander in Dorset may have been Laurence Fiander who had a sizeable family and seems to have married someone called Dorothy. I haven't researched him but his children are born in the 1620s in Blandford. Huguenot refugees came over to England from Flanders and France in the 17th century mainly to avoid persecution from Catholic rulers. I read that the name comes from the French `defendre' and denoted a some sort of town military or security person, or even a career fighter perhaps eg boxer. Apologies that I have only just read your query.
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