| ![Show Contents]() Pownell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The name Pownell was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pownell family lived in Cheshire, at Pownall, from whence they derived their name. Early Origins of the Pownell familyThe surname Pownell 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. Early History of the Pownell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pownell research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1520, 1560, 1571, 1722, 1731, 1757 and 1805 are included under the topic Early Pownell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Pownell Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Pownall, Pownal, Pownell, Pownel and others. Early Notables of the Pownell familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Pownall (1520-1571), was an English Protestant divine, born at Barwick in Somerset. In 1520, fled from England during Queen Mary's reign. For thirty years, he wrote and did translations, returning to England, Pownall was ordained priest by Grindal on 1 May 1560, being then described as 'aged 40 and more.' 1 Thomas Pownall...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pownell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Pownell migration to the United States | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Pownell or a variant listed above:
Pownell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- George Pownell, aged 37, who arrived in New York in 1812 2
- John Pownell, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1846 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Pownell (post 1700) | + |
- Rhonda Pownell, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Northfield, Minnesota, 2012 3
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: Officium praesto
Motto Translation: I perform my duty.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. 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
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Pownell migration to the United States 
