Show ContentsPie Surname History

The proud Norman name of Pie was developed in England soon after Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was name for a talkative or thieving person. Such a person was so named for a fancied resemblance to the magpie, a common bird in England at the time that was known for such characteristics.

Early Origins of the Pie family

The surname Pie was first found in Herefordshire 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.

Early History of the Pie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pie research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1177, 1273, 1296, 1332, 1524, 1560, 1571, 1585, 1586, 1607, 1610, 1620, 1626, 1635, 1651, 1661, 1662, 1673, 1689, 1696, 1697, 1701, 1721, 1724 and 1734 are included under the topic Early Pie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Pie have been found, including Pye, Pie, Pyman, Piemakere, Pies and others.

Early Notables of the Pie family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas Pye (1560-1610), English divine, son of Richard Pye of Darlaston, Staffordshire, rector of Earnley-with-Almodington, Sussex, and canon of Chichester in 1586; Sir Robert Pye (1585-1662) was an English courtier, administrator and politician, Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer in 1620; and his son, Sir Robert Pye (ca. 1620-1701), an English...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Pie migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Pie were among those contributors:

Pie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joan Pie, who arrived in Virginia in 1620-1621 1

New Zealand Pie migration to New Zealand +

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:

Pie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Charles Pie, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Harwood" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 4th November 1858 2


  1. 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)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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