Show ContentsPeblis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Peblis family saga is rooted in the people of the Pictish Clan of ancient Scotland. The Peblis family lived in the town of Peebles in the county of the same name. The name is occasionally derived from residence in the lands called Peebles near St. Vigeans in the county of Angus. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Peblis family

The surname Peblis was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland, in the present day Scottish Borders Council Area, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

One of the first on record was Sir Robert Peebles who was Chamberlain of Scotland in 1328, followed by John Peebles, Archdeacon of St. Andrews and Chancellor of Scotland in 1384. "Symon de Pebles made a donation of the land of Quilt in the sheriffdom of Peebles in 1328 and John de Peblys was master of the Hospital of Peebles in 1362. Another John de Peblis was burgess of Edinburgh in 1368, and a third John de Peblys was archdeacon of St. Andrews in 1378 and chancellor of Scotland in 1384 (CAB., p. 233; Bain, rv, 322). William of Pebylls, Scottish merchant, had a safe conduct in England, 1446 (Bain, rv, 1187), Magister David Peblis was charter witness in Dunfermline, 1483 (RD., p. 372), Johannes Peblis witnessed a charter by the abbot of Scone to William Peblis, 1491 (Scon, p. 201), and Henry Pebles alias Peblys of Southampton, late of Edinburgh in Scotland, had a protection in 1495 (Bain, rv, 1609). John Peblis was witness in Perth, 1546 ( (Rollok, 12). Sir Bernard Peblis was vicar of Inchynnan in 1555 (Protocols, i), John Peblis was procurator to William, master of Ruthven, 1564 (Scon, 231), another John Peblis was burgess of Irvine in 1590 (Irvine, i, p. 64), and Robert Peiblis was bailie of Irving in 1634 (Inquis., 2054). A family of this name held land of the Abbey of Scone in fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and the family of Peebles of Broomlands in Cunningham were old landed proprietors. " 4

Early History of the Peblis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peblis research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1559, 1560, 1579, 1631, 1669 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Peblis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peblis Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Peblis include Peebles, Peebes, Peebbes, Peeples, Peoples and many more.

Early Notables of the Peblis family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Peblis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Peblis family to Ireland

Some of the Peblis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 140 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Peblis family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Peblis: Anne, Annabella, John, Margaret, Mary and Sarah Peebbes all arrived in New York State in 1804; Hugh Peebles arrived in Nova Scotia in 1774; James Peeples settled in Philadelphia in 1869.



  1. Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  4. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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