Show ContentsPepper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The founding heritage of the Pepper family is in the Anglo-Saxon culture that once dominated in Britain. The name Pepper comes from when one of the family worked as a spicer or seller of spices and/or pepper. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. Occupational names have remained fairly commonplace in the modern period. This is attested to by the continuing appearance of occupational suffixes at the end of many English surnames. Some of these suffixes include: herd, monger, maker, hewer, smith and wright.

Early Origins of the Pepper family

The surname Pepper was first found in Leicestershire where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Pepper family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pepper research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early Pepper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pepper Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Pepper has been spelled many different ways, including Pepper, Peper and others.

Early Notables of the Pepper family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Thomas Pepper of Ballygarth Castle

Pepper Ranking

In the United States, the name Pepper is the 2,274th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. [1]

Ireland Migration of the Pepper family to Ireland

Some of the Pepper family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Pepper migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Peppers to arrive in North America:

Pepper Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Gibert Pepper, who landed in Virginia in 1623 [2]
  • Mary Pepper, (Pepy), aged 3, from Essex, who arrived in New England in 1634, bound for Boston [2]
  • Richard Pepper, (Pepy) aged 27, from Essex, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Francis", bound for Boston [2]
  • Fra Pepper, aged 16, who settled in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Globe" [3]
  • Michael Pepper, who landed in New England in 1642 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pepper Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Edward Pepper, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 [2]
  • Edward Pepper, who settled with his family in New York in 1811
  • Hipolite Pepper, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1812 [2]
  • James Pepper, aged 28, who landed in New York in 1812 [2]
  • Jane Pepper, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Pepper migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pepper Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Benjamin Pepper U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 [4]

Australia Pepper migration to Australia +

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

Pepper Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Pepper, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Emma" in 1837 [5]
  • Mr. Shadrach Pepper, (Turrell, Twerl), (b. 1795), aged 44, English agricultrual labourer who was convicted in Kent, England for 10 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [6]
  • John Pepper, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia [7]
  • Mr. John Pepper, English convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) [8]
  • William Pepper, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Thomas Lowry" in 1848 [9]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Pepper 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:

Pepper Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Pepper, American settler travelling from Boston aboard the ship "Robert Pulsford" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 19th November 1842 [10]
  • Mr. Andrew Pepper, (b. 1836), aged 24, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 [11]
  • Mrs. Rachel Pepper, (b. 1837), aged 23, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 [11]
  • Mr. William John Pepper, (b. 1858), aged 2, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 [11]
  • Frederick Pepper, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1863
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Pepper migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [12]
Pepper Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Ursilla Pepper, aged 17, who landed in Jamaica in 1683 [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Pepper (post 1700) +

  • Beverly Pepper (1922-2020), née Stoll, an American sculptor known for her monumental works
  • Hugh McLaurin Pepper III (1930-2018), All-American football player, Major League Baseball player
  • Curtis Bill Pepper (1917-2014), American journalist and author, Newsweek's Mediterranean bureau chief in Rome from 1957 to 1969
  • George Wharton Pepper (1867-1961), American lawyer, law professor, and Republican politician
  • William Pepper (1843-1898), Philadelphia physician and founder of the Free Library of Philadelphia
  • Wendy Pepper (b. 1964), American fashion designer
  • Jim Pepper (1941-1992), American jazz saxophonist, composer, and singer
  • Art Pepper (1925-1982), American jazz musician
  • Claude Denson Pepper (1900-1989), American Lawyer and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • E. J. Pepper, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1972 [13]
  • ... (Another 19 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Pepper +

  • The History of the Pepper Family in America and Allied Lines by Florence Pepper Raya.
  • The Descendants and Some Ancestors of Luther Marvin Smith and his Wife, Ada Penn Pepper of Lincoln County, Mississippi by Charlie Rabb Ashford.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  4. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY EMMA 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837LadyEmma.htm
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
  7. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THOMAS LOWRY 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848ThomasLowry.htm
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  13. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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