Show ContentsPedder History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Pedder family name dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name is derived from the Middle English word pedder, which means a packman, pedlar. He "makes baskets, or one who hawks fish, from ped, a pannier or basket. The market in Norwich was, or is, a ped-market, according to Way, from the fact that the wares were brought in from the country in peds, and thus exposed for sale. Hence in general a hawker or pedlar." [1]

Early Origins of the Pedder family

The surname Pedder was first found in Lancashire at Whittingham, a township, in the ecclesiastical parish of Goosnargh, parish of Kirkham, hundred of Amounderness. "The estate passed by sale to the Pedders, of Preston. Whittingham Hall is now the property of James Pedder, Esq., of Ashton Lodge." [2]

One of the first records of the family was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 where Martin le Peddere was recorded in Norfolk. [1]

Up in Scotland, the name was derived from similar occupations, but appears later: "John Peddar leased part of Kethyk, c. 1443 and Patrick Pedar held part of the same in 1457. John Pedder had a tack of four acres in Betschell haich from the abbot of Cupar in 1558, and Sir Alexander Pedder, a Pope's knight, resigned the vicarage of Awoch in the same year. Andrew Pedder was a student at the University of Aberdeen in 1627; Lennard Pedder in record in Elgin, 1661." [3]

Early History of the Pedder family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pedder research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1443, 1457, 1479, 1520, 1538, 1542, 1552, 1553, 1554, 1559, 1571, 1655, 1661, 1673 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Pedder History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pedder Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Pedder include Pedder, Peddar, Pether and others.

Early Notables of the Pedder family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • The Very Rev John Pedder, DD (c. 1520- 1571), an English cleric, Dean of Worcester (1559-1571.) He was educated at Cambridge, where he graduated...
  • Pedder, who improved the revenues of the church of Worcester, died on 5 April 1571, and was buried on the 8th in the cathedral[4]...


United States Pedder migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Pedder or a variant listed above:

Pedder Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Pedder, who landed in Maryland in 1673 [5]
Pedder Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Pedder, who settled in Maryland in 1729
  • Charles Pedder, who settled in Virginia in 1765
  • William Pedder, who settled in Virginia in 1774
Pedder Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Pedder, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 [5]

Australia Pedder migration to Australia +

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

Pedder Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Joseph Pedder, aged 22, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Lord of the Isles" [6]
  • Mr. Thomas Pedder, English convict who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Edwin Fox" on 24th August 1858, arriving in Western Australia, Australia

New Zealand Pedder 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:

Pedder Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • J. H. Chick Pedder, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Parsee" in 1873

West Indies Pedder 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. [7]
Pedder Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mathew Pedder, who settled in Barbados with his wife and son in 1678

Contemporary Notables of the name Pedder (post 1700) +

  • Jack Pedder, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1960 [8]
  • Charles J. Pedder, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County, 1897-98 [8]
  • Guy Richard Pedder (1892-1964), English cricketer who played from 1925 to 1931
  • Sibella Margaretha Pedder (b. 1980), retired English two-time bronze medalist swimmer
  • Admiral Sir Arthur Pedder, Commander Allied Naval Forces
  • Scott Pedder (b. 1976), Australian driver in the Australian Rally Championship
  • Sir John John Lewes Pedder (1784-1859), English-born, Australian judge and politician, the first Chief Justice of Van Diemen's Land

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Ernest A J Pedder (b. 1907), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Wandsworth, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [9]


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. 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)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. 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)
  6. 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
  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. 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


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