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Passmore History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Passmore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Passmore surname in Britain is thought to have come from two fairly distinct sources: It evolved from the Middle English words "passe" meaning "to pass or go across," and "more," meaning a "marsh." As such, it was likely originally a nickname for someone who lived on the far side of a tract of moorland, or perhaps for someone with knowledge of a safe route across a moor. Other instances of this surname are thought to have derived from that same first element "passe," along with "mer," meaning "sea," or "ocean;" in which case, the name was likely originally for a seafarer.

Early Origins of the Passmore family

The surname Passmore was first found in Berkshire, at Peasemore, a village and civil parish which dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Praxemere and literally meant "pond by which peas grow" from the Old English words pise + mere. By 1166, the village's name had evolved to Pesemere. 1 Today the village is still very small having a population of only 300 or so.

Early History of the Passmore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Passmore research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Passmore History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Passmore Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Passmore, Passmere, Pasmore, Peasmore and others.

Early Notables of the Passmore family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Passmore of Peasmore

Passmore Ranking

In the United States, the name Passmore is the 4,469^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Passmore migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Passmore Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mrs. Jane Passmore, who settled in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship "George"
Thomas Passmore, who landed in Virginia in 1624 aboard the ship "George" 3
Mary Passmore and her husband, who settled in Virginia in 1638

Passmore Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Geo Passmore, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 3
William Passmore, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1719 3

Passmore Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Passmore, who arrived in America in 1805 3
James Passmore, aged 27, who landed in Missouri in 1845 3
Robert William Passmore, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 3

Passmore migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Passmore Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Edward J Passmore, who arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862
Florence Passmore, who landed in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862
Welbelmina Passmore, who arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

Passmore migration to Australia +

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

Passmore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Passmore, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Elizabeth" in 1849 4
Thomas Passmore, aged 30, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Stag" 5
Georgina Passmore, aged 29, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Stag" 5
Martha Passmore, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "Stag" 5
James Passmore, aged 34, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord of the Isles" 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Passmore 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:

Passmore Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Passmore, aged 44, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waitangi" in 1874
Jane Passmore, aged 43, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waitangi" in 1874
Mr. William H. Passmore, (b. 1854), aged 21, Cornish farm labourer departing on 12th October 1875 aboard the ship "Caroline" going to Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand arriving in port on 31st January 1876 7
William H. Passmore, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1876 8
J. Passmore, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Triumph" in 1883

Passmore 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. 9

Passmore Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John Passmore, aged 22, who arrived in Barbados in 1684 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Passmore (post 1700) +

William Thomas Passmore (1882-1955), American silver medalist lacrosse player at the 1904 Summer Olympics
William L. Passmore (1910-2002), American jockey and trainer in both flat and steeplechase Thoroughbred horse racing
Todd Passmore (b. 1970), semi-retired American professional wrestler, known by his ringname Barry Houston
Norman L. Passmore Sr. (1915-2003), American seventh head football at the Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky
George William Passmore (1889-1952), American silver medalist lacrosse player at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Deborah Griscom Passmore (1840-1911), American botanical illustrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture; she has been called the best of the early USDA artists
George Passmore (b. 1942), English performer and artist from Plymouth, one half of the Gilbert & George duo
Walter Passmore (1867-1946), English singer and actor best known for his work in Gilbert and Sullivan operas
William Ivor Passmore (1915-1986), South African boxer at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Steve Passmore (b. 1973), Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Quebec Nordiques as their ninth-round pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Passmore family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Charles Joseph Passmore (d. 1914), British Bedroom Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 10

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. William Henry Passmore, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, was listed as missing and presumed killed during the evacuation of Singapore 1942 11

HMS Repulse

Mr. Leslie I Passmore, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 12

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
"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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZABETH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Elizabeth.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STAG 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Stag.htm
South Australian Register Monday 14th August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Lord of the Isles 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/jamesfernie1854.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html