Show ContentsPontius History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many generations and branches of the Pontius family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as 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 Pontius family

The surname Pontius 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 Pontius family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pontius 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 Pontius History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pontius Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Pontius were recorded, including Pointer, Poynter, Pointier, Ponet and others.

Early Notables of the Pontius family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Robert Pointz (c 1590-1665), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1626 and 1629; and Sir John Pointz (died 1633), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1593.John Pointer (1668-1754), was an English antiquary...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pontius Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pontius Ranking

In the United States, the name Pontius is the 12,157th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [2]


United States Pontius migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Pontius family emigrate to North America:

Pontius Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johannis Pontius, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 [3]
  • John Pontius, aged 20, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 [3]
  • Adam Pontius, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1747 [3]
  • Christian Pontius, who arrived in New York in 1762 [3]
  • David Pontius, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1768 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pontius Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charles Pontius, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 [3]
  • Johann Pontius, who landed in North America in 1848 [3]
  • Peter Pontius, who landed in North America in 1852 [3]
  • Philipp Pontius, who arrived in North America in 1852 [3]
  • Jakob Pontius, who arrived in Buffalo, NY in 1854 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Pontius 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


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)


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