Pekman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Pekman came to England with the ancestors of the Pekman family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pekman family lived in Kent, at Peckham. The surname of derives from the Old English words pekke, indicating the top of a mountain or hill, and ham, meaning homestead or settlement, and distinguished the settlement by its proximity to a prominent peak.

Early Origins of the Pekman family

The surname Pekman was first found in Kent at either East Peckham or West Peckham. Both are villages that date back to the 10th century where they were collectively listed as Peccham. By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, they were known as Pecheham 1 and were held by the Archbishop. At that time, there was a church, ten servants, one mill, and six acres of meadow.

Part of the manor of East Farleigh lay within what is now East Peckham which was held by Ralph Fitz Turold.

The place name literally means "homestead by a peak or hill." 2 Peckham was a hamlet, in the parish and union of Camberwell, E. division of the hundred of Brixton in Surrey, but is now a district in South-East London within the London Borough of Southwark. 3

Early History of the Pekman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pekman research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1272, 1279, 1292, 1346, 1372, 1377, 1380, 1383, 1388, 1389, 1400, 1572, 1608, 1615, 1654 and 1673 are included under the topic Early Pekman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pekman Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Pekman are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pekman include Peckham, Pecham, Peckem, Peckam, Packham and others.

Early Notables of the Pekman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Archbishop Peckham of Kent; John Peckham (1230-1292), English Archbishop of Canterbury (1279-1292); James Peckham (c.1346-1400), English politician, Member of Parliament for Kent 1372, 1377, 1383, 1388, and 1388, appointed Sheriff of Kent in...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pekman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pekman family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Pekman, or a variant listed above: John Peckham settled in Newport in Rhode Island in 1630; J. and N.A. Peckham arrived in San Francisco in 1852.

The Pekman Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tentanda via est
Motto Translation: The way must be tried.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.