Pengillay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Pengillay history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Pengillay history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Pengillay family originally lived in Cornwall, at the manor of Pengelly. The family claim descent from "an estate in the parish of St. Neot in Cornwall, anciently the property of the family." 1 2 Literally the place name means "the head of the grove," from "pen-gilly, -gelly. 3

"There is a hamlet of the name in St. Teath. The Pengellys are now mostly found around Penzance, and the Pengillys around Helston." 4

Early Origins of the Pengillay family

The surname Pengillay was first found in Cornwall at Pengelly (Cornish: Penn-gelli), a hamlet now part of the village of Delabole. 5

The first record of the family was found here: John (de) Pengelly in 1297. 6

"Higher Hampt, [in the parish of Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall] belonged to the family of Pengelly, and afterwards to that of Harrison, is now the property and residence of Mr. William Mason." 7

Early History of the Pengillay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pengillay research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1642, 1650, 1675, 1683, 1696, 1712 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Pengillay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pengillay Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Pengelly, Pengley, Pengelley and others.

Early Notables of the Pengillay family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Pengelly (fl. c.1650-1696), a wealthy British merchant who traded with the Eastern Mediterranean and the Atlantic Seaboard; he owned property in the East End of London, as well as in Finchley and in Cheshunt in Hertfordshire 8; and his son, Sir Thomas Pengelly (1675-1730), Chief Baron of the Exchequer, descended from a west of England family, was son of Thomas Pengelly, by his wife Rachel, the eldest daughter of Lieutenant-colonel Jeremy Baines. He was probably born at his father's house 'next door to the 2 Twins in Moorefields,' and was baptised in...
Another 126 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pengillay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pengillay family

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Pengillay: Richard Pengelly settled in Philadelphia in 1858; John Pengley settled in Barstable Massachusetts in 1822.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Hanks Patricia, Flavia Hodges, Mills A.D., Room Adrian, The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-19-860561-7)