Pecher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

When the ancestors of the Pecher family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, they brought their name with them. It is a name for a wool packer having derived from the Old English word packe. 1 Another source claims that the name was derived for a "person 'employed in barrelling or packing up herrings.' In London, the occupation of the 'packer-and-presser' is a well-known and lucrative one." 2

Early Origins of the Pecher family

The surname Pecher was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times where they were Lords of the manor of Bucklebury. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, a census initiated by Duke William after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, this manor was held by a Norman noble, Hugolin the Steersman, and consisted of a mill and a church, and the church still has Norman carvings. Conjecturally the Packers descend from this noble.

Not withstanding the Berkshire reference, the first record of the family was found in Bedfordshire. Walter le Packere was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Later, the Calendarium Rotulorum Chartarum listed Mathew le Packere. 1

Early History of the Pecher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pecher research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1618, 1645, 1648, 1661, 1682 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Pecher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pecher 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 Packere, Packer, Packers, Packar, Packars, Packare, Pacher and many more.

Early Notables of the Pecher family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Packer of Shellingford Manor, Berkshire, Clerk of the Privy Seal; and his son, Robert Packer (1614-1682), an English politician, Member of...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pecher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pecher 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 Pecher or a variant listed above:

Pecher Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anne Pecher, aged 50, arrived in New York in 1892 aboard the ship "La Bourgogne" from Havre, France 3

Pecher Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jean Pecher, aged 25, originally from Anvers, Belgium, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rochambeau" from Le Havre, France 3
Juliette Pecher, aged 32, originally from Paris, France, arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Lafayette" from Havre, France 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Pecher (post 1700) +

Steve Pecher, retired American soccer defender, member of the United States National Team (1976-1980)
Édouard Gustave Charles Marie Pecher (1885-1926), Belgian lawyer and liberal politician

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result