Show ContentsPacy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Pacy is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pacy family lived in Cheshire. The name, however, is a reference to Pacy Sur Eure, in Evreux, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Alternatively, the name could be "given to one born during the Passover festival or at Easter; descendant of Pace (peace), or of Pace, a pet form of Bonapace (good peace)." 2

"Easter-eggs are still called pace-eggs in the North of England." 3 4

Early Origins of the Pacy family

The surname Pacy was first found in Leicestershire where John Pais was listed in 1219. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Roger and Ralph Pays in Norfolk and John Pax in Devon. Again, in Devon, John Pace was listed there in 1242. Up north, Peter Pece was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1302. 4 William Pace was listed in the Testa de Nevill and accordingly held lands at that time. 5

Early History of the Pacy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pacy research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1153, 1482, 1509, 1514, 1516, 1523 and 1536 are included under the topic Early Pacy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pacy Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Pace, Paice, Pacie, Pacy and others.

Early Notables of the Pacy family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Pace (c. 1482-1536), an English diplomat of the Tudor period. In 1509, he accompanied Cardinal Christopher Bainbridge, Archbishop of York, to Rome and remained with him until the cardinal's death by poisoning. He was instrumental in bringing the murderer to justice. He returned to England and became Cardinal Wolsey's secretary and in 1516 a Secretary of State. He was also...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pacy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Pacy migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Pacy or a variant listed above:

Pacy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • George Pacy, who arrived in Virginia in 1622-1623 6
Pacy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Daniel Pacy, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Pacy (post 1700) +

  • Lucille Pacy (b. 1892), American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1928, 1936

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Ronald Pacy (b. 1918), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Hastings, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 7


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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