Pointer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Pointer is an old Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a maker of points, which are cords for fastening together doublet and hose; a maker of garter belts. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word poynte, which meant "a tagged lace or cord made of twisted yarn, silk, or leather." 1 It is also possible that the name is derived from the construction term pointing, which is the practice of fastening and sealing roofing tiles with mortar. This practice gained currency in the 13th century and was called pointing.

Early Origins of the Pointer family

The surname Pointer was first found in Berkshire, where Benedict le Puinter was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1206. "Some of the Poynters, however are of French origin, being descendants of Ambrose Pointier, of Arras, who settled [in England] at the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The armorials of this family are pointedly allusive; the shield contains pointed piles. " 1

Early History of the Pointer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pointer research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1206, 1273, 1314, 1514, 1556, 1590, 1593, 1626, 1629, 1633, 1663, 1665, 1668, 1710, 1754 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Pointer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pointer Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Pointer has been recorded under many different variations, including Pointer, Poynter, Pointier, Ponet and others.

Early Notables of the Pointer family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

John Pointer (1668-1754), was an English antiquary, born at Alkerton, Oxfordshire who claimed to be descended from Sir William Pointer of Whitchurch, Hampshire. His father, also called John, was recto...

Pointer Ranking

In the United States, the name Pointer is the 3,808^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Pointer migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Pointer or a variant listed above:

Pointer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Pointer, also recorded as Robert Poynter, who settled in Virginia in 1654
Robert Pointer, who landed in Virginia in 1654 3
Francis Pointer, who arrived in Maryland in 1672 3
Elizabeth and Francis Pointer, who both settled in Maryland in 1675
Elizabeth Pointer, who landed in Maryland in 1675 3

Pointer migration to Australia +

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

Pointer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Pointer, British Convict who was convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England for life for machine breaking, transported aboard the "Eleanor" on 26th June 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. James Pointer, (b. 1800), aged 31, English ploughman who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years for machine breaking, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Pointer (post 1700) +

Aaron Elton Pointer (b. 1942), American Major League Baseball player who played from 1963 to 1967, brother of the four Pointer Sisters
Anita Marie Pointer (1948-2022), American Grammy Award winning R&B/soul singer-songwriter, member of The Pointer Sisters
Patricia Eva "Bonnie" Pointer (1950-2020), American singer, member of the vocal group, The Pointer Sisters
Vena Pointer (1880-1971), American lawyer, Colorado's first female water lawyer, one of the original board members of the Colorado Water Conservation Board in 1937
Sir'Dominic Denzel Pointer (b. 1992), American professional basketball player
Sadako Pointer (b. 1984), born Sadako Ruth Pointer Johnson, an American singer, member of The Pointer Sisters
Quinton Jamall Pointer (b. 1988), American football cornerback for the Baltimore Brigade
Issa Pointer (b. 1978), born Issa Kuren Edwards, an American singer and member of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters, daughter of Ruth Pointer and Dennis Edwards
Dick Pointer (1778-1827), American frontier hero and an African slave, best known for his bravery in the defence of Fort Donnally, West Virginia, from a Shawnee attack in 1778; due to his heroic efforts, he was emancipated in 1801
Chris Pointer (b. 1976), American former defensive back in the Arena Football League who played from 2001 to 2008
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Pointer 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: Pense a pointer
Motto Translation: Think a point

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eleanor
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza