Pacay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Pacay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pacay family lived in Cheshire. The name, however, is a reference to Pacy Sur Eure, in Evreux, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Alternatively, the name could be "given to one born during the Passover festival or at Easter; descendant of Pace (peace), or of Pace, a pet form of Bonapace (good peace)." 2

"Easter-eggs are still called pace-eggs in the North of England." 3 4

Early Origins of the Pacay family

The surname Pacay was first found in Leicestershire where John Pais was listed in 1219. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Roger and Ralph Pays in Norfolk and John Pax in Devon. Again, in Devon, John Pace was listed there in 1242. Up north, Peter Pece was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1302. 4 William Pace was listed in the Testa de Nevill and accordingly held lands at that time. 5

Early History of the Pacay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pacay research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1153, 1482, 1509, 1514, 1516, 1523 and 1536 are included under the topic Early Pacay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pacay Spelling Variations

Norman 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 Pace, Paice, Pacie, Pacy and others.

Early Notables of the Pacay family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Pace (c. 1482-1536), an English diplomat of the Tudor period. In 1509, he accompanied Cardinal Christopher Bainbridge, Archbishop of York, to Rome and remained with him until the cardinal's death by poisoning. He was instrumental in bringing the murderer to justice. He returned to England and became Cardinal Wolsey's secretary and in 1516 a Secretary of State. He was also...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pacay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pacay family

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 Pacay or a variant listed above: Henry Pace, who settled in Virginia in 1638; as did Richard Pace, in 1626; Robert Pace settled in New England in 1748; and an H. Pace settled in Philadelphia in 1823..

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)