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Show ContentsPalmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The German name Palmer arose from some distinct sources. In some instances, it evolved from the medieval personal name Palmatius, borne by a saint who died in 286. The name also derives from the Middle High German word "palme," or "balme," denoting a pussy willow, the tree that was traditionally used to provide the branches for Palm Sunday processions. In this instance, the name was likely originally used by someone who lived among such trees.

Early Origins of the Palmer family

The surname Palmer was first found in Bavaria, where the name Palm was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and their contributions were sought by many leaders in their search for power.

Early History of the Palmer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Palmer research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1712, 1735 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Palmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Palmer Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Palm, Balm, Palmarol, Palme, Palmenbach, Palmenberg, Palmer, Palmfelt, Palmier, Palmstein, Palmstrauch, Palmures, Palmquist, van der Palm and many more.

Early Notables of the Palmer family

More information is included under the topic Early Palmer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Palmer World Ranking

In the United States, the name Palmer is the 151st most popular surname with an estimated 154,194 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Palmer is ranked the 293rd most popular surname with an estimated 14,920 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Palmer is the 6,818th popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Palmer as 121st with 22,087 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Palmer as 134th with 3,506 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Palmer as 88th with 52,748 people. 6

United States Palmer migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Palmer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Palmer, who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Tyger"
  • Daniel Palmer, who arrived in Virginia in 1621 7
  • Mr. William Palmer, Jr., who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship "Fortune" 8
  • Mr. William Palmer, Jr., who arrived in Plymouth, Mass aboard the ship "Anne", son of William Palmer 9
  • Mrs. Frances Palmer, who arrived in Plymouth, MA in 1623 aboard the "Anne", wife of William Palmer 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Palmer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Eliza Palmer, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 7
  • Elizabeth Palmer, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1706-1707 7
  • Isaac Palmer, who landed in Virginia in 1714 7
  • Mary Palmer, who landed in Virginia in 1718 7
  • Jacob Palmer, aged 26, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Palmer Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Esther Palmer, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 7
  • James Palmer, who arrived in America in 1824 7
  • David Palmer, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1826 7
  • Juan Palmer, aged 48, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 7
  • Andrew Palmer, aged 36, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1836 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Palmer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Palmer Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Elliott Palmer U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 10
  • Mr. John Palmer U.E. who arrived in Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 350 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 10
  • Mr. Theodore Palmer U.E. (b. 1767), aged 16 who arrived in Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 108 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 10
  • Mr. Joseph Palmer U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 10
  • Mr. David Palmer Sr., U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Palmer Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Noah Palmer, who arrived in Canada in 1828
  • Merritt Palmer, who arrived in Canada in 1830
  • Mr Samuel Palmer, aged 46, a Policeman at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died there on 6th October 1847 during the typhus epidemic 11
  • Mr. John Palmer who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lotus" departing 15th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 24th June 1847 but he died on board 12

Australia Palmer migration to Australia +

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

Palmer Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Palmer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Palmer, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Mr. William Palmer, (Wells), English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. William Palmer who was convicted in Wigan, Greater Mancester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Dick" on 2nd October 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. William Palmer, British Convict who was convicted in Northhampton, Northamptonshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Caledonia" on 5th July 1820, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Stephen Palmer, English convict from Gloucester, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Palmer 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:

Palmer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. E. Palmer, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1838 19
  • G.T. Palmer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Aurora" in 1840
  • Richard Palmer, aged 27, a carpenter, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Eliza Palmer, aged 27, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • William Palmer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Whitby" in 1841
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Palmer 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. 20
Palmer Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Ellis Palmer, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 21
  • Mr. Victor Palmer, (b. 1614), aged 21, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 21
  • Mr. George Palmer, (b. 1608), aged 27, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 21
  • Mr. Richard Palmer, (b. 1605), aged 30, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 21
  • Mr. John Palmer, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Matthew" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 22
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Palmer (post 1700) +

  • Arnold Daniel "The King" Palmer (1929-2016), famous American Golfer who won numerous PGA championships, winner of the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998
  • Alice J. Palmer (1939-2023), née Roberts, an American educator and politician, Member of the Illinois Senate
  • Thomas Witherell Palmer (1830-1913), American politician, Senator from Michigan
  • Thomas John "Tom" Palmer (1941-2022), American comic book artist best known as an inker for Marvel Comics, recipient of an Alley Award, 1969 and Inkpot Award (2010)
  • Carlton Devan "Corky" Palmer (1954-2022), American college head baseball coach at Meridian Community College (1987-1996) and later head coach of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles baseball team for 12 seasons
  • Peter Webster Palmer (1931-2021), American actor best known for his portrayal of Li'l Abner, alongside Edie Adams, both on Broadway and on film
  • Mike De Palmer (1961-2021), American professional tennis player who coached Boris Becker for several years
  • Krysta Palmer (b. 1992), American diver who won gold and bronze medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games
  • Keegan Palmer (b. 2003), American Australian, goofy-footed professional skateboarder, born in San Diego, Palmer moved to Queensland, Australia, at a young age, he became a professional skateboarder at age 14. He won Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games
  • Bill Palmer (1950-2020), American restaurateur, co-founder of Applebee's
  • ... (Another 303 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mr. Gary Kent Palmer (1950-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Tauranga, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 23
  • Mr. Edward James Palmer (1916-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Tauranga, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 23
  • Mr. David Lloyd Palmer (1948-1979), New Zealander passenger, from Stanmore Bay, Auckland, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 23
Empress of Ireland
  • Mrs. Ethel Palmer (1888-1914), née Short English First Class Passenger from London, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 24
  • Mr. Wallace Palmer (1886-1914), English First Class Passenger from London, England, United Kingdom who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 24
HMS Cornwall
  • Walter Alan Palmer (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 25
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Stephen Palmer (b. 1921), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve from Godstone, Surrey, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
  • Mr. Reginald W Palmer (b. 1914), English Sergeant serving for the Royal Marine from East Ham, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
  • Mr. James A Palmer (b. 1921), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Washington, County Durham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
  • Mr. Frederick W J Palmer (b. 1907), English Regulating Petty Officer serving for the Royal Navy from Eynsham, Oxfordshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
  • Mr. Frank Palmer (b. 1916), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Moss Side, Manchester, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 26
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. C Palmer, British Officers Cook, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 27
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Arthur Palmer, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28
  • Mr. John R Palmer, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28
  • Mr. Edward J Palmer, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 28
HMS Royal Oak
  • Walter G. Palmer, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 29
  • George James Palmer (1919-1939), British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
  • Charles John Palmer (d. 1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 29
Pemberton Mill
  • Mr. Morris C. Palmer, factory worker in the Pemberton Mill on 10th January 1860 when the mill collapsed trapping 900 workers as rescue attempts continued into the night, an oil lantern was knocked over further engulfing the trapped workers in fire, he initially survived the colapse but was caught as flames approached he later died of a self-inflicted wound
Prince of Wales colliery
  • Mr. William Palmer (b. 1852), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 30
  • Mr. Thomas Palmer (b. 1856), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales Colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 30
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Thomas Palmer, English Trimmer from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 31
  • Mr. Charles Palmer, American 3rd Class passenger from Camden, New Jersey, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 32
  • Mr. Frank Arthur Palmer, American 2nd Class passenger from North Augusta, South Carolina, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 32
  • Master Albert Palmer, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 32
  • Master Edgar Palmer, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 32
  • ... (Another 4 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
SS Alcoa Puritan
  • W.N. Palmer, American from Mobile, Alabama, who was working aboard the SS Alcoa Puritan (1942) traveling from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Mobile, Alabama when it was torpedoed by U-boat U-507; he survived the sinking 33

Suggested Readings for the name Palmer +

  • Freeman-Palmer and Related Families by Mary Ann Palmer-Schrepfer.
  • A Genealogy of Palmers by Andrew Stillman.
  • Memoirs: With Histories of Pound-Murphy-Willingham-Palmer-Pitts Families by Jerome B. Pound.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. 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)
  8. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  9. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  10. 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
  11. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 61)
  12. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 92)
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Dick
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
  18. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  21. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  22. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  23. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  24. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  25. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  26. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  27. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  28. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  29. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  30. Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
  31. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  32. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  33. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Alcoa_Puritan_(1941) - (Retrieved 2018, February 8th)
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