Show ContentsPengelly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Cornwall, one of the original six "Celtic nations" is the homeland to the surname Pengelly. A revival of the Cornish language which began in the 9th century AD has begun. No doubt this was the language spoken by distant forebears of the Pengelly family. Though surnames became common during medieval times, English people were formerly known only by a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames were adopted in medieval England is fascinating. Many Cornish surnames appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames. The name Pengelly is a local type of surname and the Pengelly family lived in Cornwall, at the manor of Pengelly. The family claim descent from "an estate in the parish of St. Neot in Cornwall, anciently the property of the family." [1] [2] Literally the place name means "the head of the grove," from "pen-gilly, -gelly. [3]

"There is a hamlet of the name in St. Teath. The Pengellys are now mostly found around Penzance, and the Pengillys around Helston." [4]

Early Origins of the Pengelly family

The surname Pengelly was first found in Cornwall at Pengelly (Cornish: Penn-gelli), a hamlet now part of the village of Delabole. [5]

The first record of the family was found here: John (de) Pengelly in 1297. [6]

"Higher Hampt, [in the parish of Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall] belonged to the family of Pengelly, and afterwards to that of Harrison, is now the property and residence of Mr. William Mason." [7]

Early History of the Pengelly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pengelly research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1650, 1675, 1683, 1696, 1712 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Pengelly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pengelly Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Pengelly, Pengley, Pengelley and others.

Early Notables of the Pengelly family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Thomas Pengelly (fl. c.1650-1696), a wealthy British merchant who traded with the Eastern Mediterranean and the Atlantic Seaboard


United States Pengelly migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Pengelly were

Pengelly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Richard Pengelly, who settled in Philadelphia in 1858
  • Mr. Joseph M. Pengelly, (b. 1869), aged 29, Cornish butcher, from Liskeard, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th November 1898 en route to St Charles, Illinois, USA [8]
Pengelly Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Edward Pengelly, (b. 1879), aged 21, Cornish farmer, from Penzance, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Umbria" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th July 1900 en route to Ishpeming, Michigan, USA [8]
  • Mr. Henry Pengelly, (b. 1876), aged 25, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 27th July 1901 en route to South Dakota, USA [8]
  • Mr. Henry Pengelly, (b. 1876), aged 28, Cornish miner, from Truro, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th July 1904 en route to Butte, Montana, USA [8]
  • Mr. James Pengelly, (b. 1875), aged 29, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 27th August 1904 en route to Bisbee, Arizona, USA [8]
  • Miss Mary Pengelly, (b. 1879), aged 25, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd May 1904 en route to Houghton, Michigan, USA [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Pengelly migration to Australia +

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

Pengelly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Stephen Pengelly, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Baboo" in 1848 [9]
  • Elizabeth Pengelly, aged 25, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Taymouth Castle" [10]
  • Richard Pengelly, aged 22, a farm servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Trafalgar" [11]
  • Margaret Pengelly, aged 22, a milliner, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Navarino" [12]
  • Mr. William Pengelly, (b. 1830), aged 26, Cornish quarryman departing from Plymouth on 27th November 1855 aboard the ship "Ocean Monarch" arriving in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 23rd June 1856 [13]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Pengelly 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:

Pengelly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Mary Pengelly, (b. 1853), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1853 [14]
  • Mr. William Pengelly, (b. 1824), aged 29, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1853 [14]
  • Mrs. Eliza Pengelly, (b. 1829), aged 24, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1853 [14]
  • Mr. William Henry Pengelly, (b. 1865), aged 4 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Greyhound" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th May 1865 [14]
  • Mr. William Pengelly, (b. 1837), aged 28, British mason travelling from London aboard the ship "Greyhound" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th May 1865 [14]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Pengelly (post 1700) +

  • William Pengelly (1812-1894), Cornish geologist and early archaeologist from East Looe; he proved that the Biblical chronology of the earth calculated by Archbishop James Ussher was incorrect
  • Emma Little- Pengelly (b. 1979), Irish Democratic Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland
  • Edna Pengelly (1874-1959), Canadian-born, New Zealand teacher, civilian and military nurse, matron
  • Melville Pengelly (1901-1973), New Zealand cricket umpire who stood in four Test matches between 1946 and 1952
  • Jessica Evelyn Pengelly (b. 1991), South African three-time silver and two-time bronze medalist swimmer
  • Nigel Pengelly (1925-2010), Canadian politician from Alberta, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1979 to 1989
  • Judge William Pengelly, Master of the Supreme Court
  • Pat Pengelly, Canadian drummer

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Frederick William Pengelly (d. 1912), aged 19, English Second Class passenger from Gunnislake, Cornwall who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [15]


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  3. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  9. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BABOO 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Baboo.htm
  10. South Australian Register Thursday 4th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Taymouth Castle 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/taymouthcastle1854.shtml
  11. South Australian Register Thursday 29th June 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Trafalgar 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/trafalgar1854.shtml
  12. South Australian Register Monday 14th August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Navarino 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/navarino1854.shtml
  13. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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