Parnall Surname HistoryThe Parnall name is thought to be derived from the medieval female personal name "Peronel, Pernel, Parnell," which came from the Latin "Petronilla," or "Petronia," which was the name of an early Roman martyr. 1 Other sources suggest that the Parnall name is a reference to Pernelle, Normandy, a place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. "Pernelle was near Valognes, Normandy." 2 Early Origins of the Parnall familyThe surname Parnall was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. The township of Poulton, with Spittal was once a family seat as the manor was once held by the Parnell family. 3 By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family had scattered and entries were found as both a forename and surname: Petronilla de le Le in Oxfordshire; Pernel Clere in Huntingdonshire; William Peronel and Alexander Pernel in Cambridgeshire. 1 "The Parnells are now principally seated in Devon and Cornwall, but there are a few in Cambridgeshire." 4 Early History of the Parnall familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parnall research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1679 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Parnall History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Parnall Spelling VariationsEndless 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 Parnell, Parnel, Parnall and others. Early Notables of the Parnall familyMore information is included under the topic Early Parnall Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Parnall family to IrelandSome of the Parnall family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
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 Parnall or a variant listed above: Parnall Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Parnall Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Parnall Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
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