Pelfreymand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancient name of Pelfreymand finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from a name for a person who worked as the palfreyman, who was in charge of the palfreys or colts. 1 This occupational surname was first derived from the Old French word parfrement which referred to the individual who saddled horses for women. 2 The term palfrey usually referred to the most expensive and highly-bred types of riding horse during the Middle Ages. 3

One source presumes the family came from Normandy as Richard, Roger Palfrei or Palefridus were listed in Normandy (1180-1195.) 4

Early Origins of the Pelfreymand family

The surname Pelfreymand was first found in Hampshire where Hunfridus Palefrei was listed at Winton in 1148. Later Ralph Palefray was listed at Boldon in 1183. 3

Proving the widespread use of this occupational name, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Thomas Palfrei, Lincolnshire; Richard Palefray, Salop (Shropshire); Gilbert Palfrey, Norfolk; and John Palefrey, Norfolk. 2

Chaucer in his Knight's Tale notes "And to the paleis rode titer many a route Of lordes, upon stedes and palfreis."

Early History of the Pelfreymand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pelfreymand research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1148, 1200, 1321, 1359, 1411, 1586, 1589, 1633, 1636, 1637, 1638, 1651, 1662, 1665, 1667, 1668, 1685, 1741, 1780, 1796, 1847, 1849 and 1881 are included under the topic Early Pelfreymand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pelfreymand Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Pelfreymand family name include Palfrey, Palfry, Palfreyer, Palfreyman and others.

Early Notables of the Pelfreymand family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Palfreyman (died 1589?) was an English author and musician. He was a "gentleman of the chapel royal, together with Tallis, Farrant, Hunnis, and other well-known musicians in Edward VI's reign. He continued in office till 1589, apparently the year of his death. John Parkhurst, the Bishop of Norwich, addressed an epigram to Palfreyman and Robert Couch conjointly, and complimented them on their proficiency alike in music and theology. Palfreyman seems to have lived in the parish of St. Peter, Cornhill. One Thomas Palfreman, described as a plebeian and native of Oxford, matriculated...
Another 122 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pelfreymand Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pelfreymand family to Ireland

Some of the Pelfreymand family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pelfreymand family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Pelfreymand surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Peter Palfrey, who was on record in Massachusetts in 1624; John Palfrey, who arrived in Cambridge, MA in 1658; Jonathan Palfrey, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Barbados in 1698.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)