Plester History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Plester family

The surname Plester was first found in Essex at Plaistow, a ward and district chapelry, in the parish and union of West Ham, hundred of Becontree, about 5 miles (E. by N.) from London. Alternatively the family could have originated in the West division of Sussex, at Plaistow, a chapelry, in the parish of Kirdford, union of Petworth, hundred of Rotherbridge, rape of Arundel. 1 To complicate matters more, there are location names Derbyshire and Kent and one source notes that the name could have originated in Plaster Down, Devon; Plastow Green; Plasterhill Farm; or Pleastor in Hampshire, 2

"In medieval times, most large parishes had their play-stow, playsted, or locus ludorum, for the recreation of the inhabitants. " 3

It is generally agreed that the name originated from the Old English "pleg-stow," which means "place for play or sport." 4

The first record of the family was of Robert de Plegestoue who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1168. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the wide spelling variations used by the family: Robert atte Pleistowe, Oxfordshire; Nicholas de la Pleystowe, Oxfordshire; and John de la Playstowe, Wiltshire. 5 Later, Cristian atte Pleystouwe was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. 2

Early History of the Plester family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Plester research. Another 205 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1194, 1510, 1562, 1600, 1635, 1715, 1760, 1783, 1785 and 1900 are included under the topic Early Plester History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Plester Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Playsted, Playstead, Paisted, Plaistead, Plaister, Playstow, Plaistowe, Plastow, Plester and many more.

Early Notables of the Plester family

More information is included under the topic Early Plester Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Plester migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Plester Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Plester, aged 57, who landed in America from Stoned, England, in 1912
Laurence Plester, aged 0, who settled in America from London, England, in 1921
Dorothy Plester, aged 5, who immigrated to America from London, England, in 1921
Florence Plester, aged 29, who landed in America from London, England, in 1921
Frank William Plester, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1921

Plester migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Plester Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Plester, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1846 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Plester (post 1700) +

Timothy Marc "Tim" Plester (b. 1970), British actor, playwright and film-maker from North Oxfordshire, known for Game of Thrones (2011), Way of the Morris (2011) and The Ballad of Shirley Collins (2017)
Tim Plester (b. 1970), British playwright and actor, winner of the National Student Playwright Of The Year award (1992)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHEOBE/PHOEBE 1845. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Phoebe.htm