Pelling History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Wales

The name Pelling predates the arrival of the Normans in Britain, and as such is one of the older names in the British Isles. As a surname, Pelling is thought to be derived from the place named Peelings in Sussex (on record in the Domesday Book of 1066 as Pellinges). This place name is in turn thought to be derived from the Old English word "Pydelingas," or "the people of Pydel."

Early Origins of the Pelling family

The surname Pelling was first found in Lewes, Sussex where a Hammyng de Pellyng was on record in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. A few years later, Adam Pilling was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1283 and Emma Pylyng was in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Thomas Pillyng was listed in Warwickshire in 1344. 1

Pilling in Lancashire is a "chapelry, in the parish and union of Garstang, hundred of Amounderness" 2 3 and dates back to c. 1195 when it was known as Pylin. 4

Other early records include a William Pelling recorded in 1222, in the Building Accounts of King Henry III, Wylelmus Pylyng, recorded in the Poll Tax for Yorkshire in 1379. 5 As far as the origin of the name is concerned, the name means "dweller by the creek" from the Old English word "pylling," 6 and while creeks are quite common throughout England, the name is not.

Early History of the Pelling family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pelling research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1195, 1579, 1592, 1595, 1658, 1659, 1670, 1690, 1693, 1703, 1704, 1705, 1715, 1718, 1750, 1777 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Pelling History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pelling Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pelling, Pylyng, Peling and others.

Early Notables of the Pelling family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Edward Pelling (died 1718), was an English divine from Wiltshire and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He was educated at Westminster School, and was admitted on 3 July 1658 to Trinity College, Ca...
John Pelling DD (1670-1750) was a Canon of Windsor from 1715 to 1750. He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he graduated BA in 1690, MA in 1693, DD in 1703. He was appointed: Rector of St Ann...

Pelling migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pelling Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Pelling, who landed in New York in 1830 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Pelling (post 1700) +

Maurice Pelling, American art director
Nick Pelling (b. 1964), British-born computer programmer and investigative writer, best known as the creator of the 1984 game Frak!
Nadine Pelling, Lecturer at the University of New England in Australia
Christopher Brendan Reginald Pelling FBA (b. 1947), British classical scholar, Regius Professor of Greek, at Christ Church, Oxford (2003-2015)
Andrew John Pelling (b. 1959), British politician, Member of Parliament for Croydon Central (2005-2010)
Albert Pelling (1903-1977), British Olympic fencer at the 1936 and 1948 Summer Olympics
Rowan Dorothy Pelling (b. 1968), female British journalist and broadcaster from Toys Hill, Kent
Harry Pelling (1855-1916), English-born Australian artist and art teacher
John Pelling (b. 1936), British Olympic fencer
Henry Mathison Pelling (1920-1997), British historian

The Pelling 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: Deo ducente nil nocet
Motto Translation: When God leads nothing hurts.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
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)