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Pierpoint History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Pierpoint History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Pierpoint is one of the names that was brought to England in the wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pierpoint family lived in Norfolk, Sussex and Suffolk. Their name, however, is a reference to Pierrepont, near St. Sauveur in the Cotentin, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Pierpoint family

The surname Pierpoint was first found in Norfolk, where Reinaldus de Perapund was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Later, Richard de Pierrpunt was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Dorset in 1178 and Roger Perpunt was found in Nottinghamshire in 1240. 3

"Godfrey and Robert de Petroponte, [were] undertenants of William de Warenne in Suffolk and Sussex in 1086, [and] came from Pierrepont (Seine-Inférieure)." 3

The family originated in Pierrepont near St. Sauveur in the Cotentin in Normandy. Another source has a different spelling for this entry "Reginald, Geoffrey and Robert Pierpont accompanied William [the Conqueror] into England and were granted lands in Suffolk and 9,000 acres in Sussex under the Earl Warren." 4

The family it seemed had extensive property and holdings from an early date as seen by this account: "Robert de Pierrepoint was a person of such extensive property that being made a prisoner fighting on the side of King Henry III at the Battle of Lewes [1264], he was forced to give security for the payment of then great sum of seven hundred marks for his ransom." 5

In England, the mark never appeared as a coin but was a unit of account and was worth about 160 pence shortly after the Conquest. Based on a value of two-thirds of a pound, and converting to the price of silver, the ransom was about 267 dollars x 700 = Pierpoint186,900 USD in today's value.

Early History of the Pierpoint family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pierpoint research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1452, 1546, 1607, 1615, 1627, 1638, 1640, 1645, 1649, 1652, 1655, 1659, 1660, 1662, 1678, 1680, 1681, 1685, 1690, 1698, 1705, 1714, 1715, 1726 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Pierpoint History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pierpoint Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Pierpoint include Pierrponte, Pierrepont, Pierrpont, Pierrponte, Pierreponte, Pierpont, Pierponte, Pierrpoint, Pierrpointe, Pierpoint, Pierpointe, Pearpont, Pearpoint, Pearpointe, Perpoint, Perpointe and many more.

Early Notables of the Pierpoint family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Pierrepont (died 1452), MP for Nottinghamshire; Henry Pierrepont (1546-1615), English MP for Nottinghamshire; William Pierrepont, 4th Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (c. 1662-1690), British peer and Member of Parliament; Evelyn Pierrepont, 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull (c. 1655-1726), Member of Parliament for East Retford; Henry Pierrepont, 1st Marquess of Dorchester (1607-1680), English peer; William Pierrepont (c. 1607-1678), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and...
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pierpoint Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pierpoint migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Pierpoints to arrive on North American shores:

Pierpoint Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Pierpoint, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 with his wife Elizabeth and their five children

Pierpoint Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Pierpoint, who settled in Maryland or Virginia in 1718

Pierpoint Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Pierpoint, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 6

Pierpoint migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pierpoint Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

James Pierpoint, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Contemporary Notables of the name Pierpoint (post 1700) +

Eric Pierpoint (b. 1950), American actor, known for Interviews (2008)
Robert Pierpoint (1791-1864), American politician and lawyer who served as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (1848 to 1850)
Powell Pierpoint (1922-1998), United States lawyer, General Counsel of the Army from 1961 to 1963
Robert Pierpoint (1925-2011), American broadcast journalist who worked for CBS News
Francis P. Pierpoint, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1868 7
Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1835-1917), English hymnist and poet
Thomas Pierpoint (1789-1849), English professional cricketer
Charles Joseph Pierpoint (b. 1795), English amateur cricketer
Roy Pierpoint (1929-2023), British racing driver who had 14 wins in saloons and sports cars (1965-1969)
Richard "Captain Dick" Pierpoint (1744-1837), African born slave who was captured and sold as a slave when he was sixteen; he rose to prominence to found the Pierpoint Settlement, Niagara, Canada

Historic Events for the Pierpoint family +

HMS Royal Oak

Verdun Loos James Pierpoint (1917-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 8

RMS Lusitania

Detective-Inspector William John Pierpoint, English 1st Class Passenger from Liverpool, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9

The Pierpoint Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pie Repone Te
Motto Translation: In pious confidence.

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)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/