Show ContentsPenland History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Penland is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived near an area that was referred to as the Penn. The surname Penland is a toponymic surname which described where the original bearer held land. In this case the surname was originally derived from the Old English words penn, meaning an area that housed stray animals and penn which referred to a hill. [1]

"Pen is a Celtic topographical word, signifying 'a conical top, generally in a range of hills, as Penchrise-pen, Skelfhill-pen, &c.'. But there are several parishes, &c., to which this signification does not apply, in the counties of Buckingham and Stafford." [2]

Early Origins of the Penland family

The surname Penland was first found in Buckingham at Penn, a parish, in the union of Amersham, hundred of Burnham. [3]

Penn is also a parish, in the union, and N. division of the hundred, of Seisdon in Staffordshire and while this parish dates back to the Domesday Book when it was known as Penne, [4] it is the former that traditionally most of the family hails.

Indeed, the family of William Penn (1644-1718), founder of the Province of Pennsylvania (today, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania) traces their origin to Penn, Buckinghamshire. [2] [5]

Early rolls provide a glimpse of various spellings and areas of ancient Britain that at one time were the family's ancient homesteads. Warin de Penne was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Staffordshire in 1176 and a few years later, Walter de la Penne was found in the Pipe Rolls for Berkshire in 1196. John ate Penne was listed in Cornwall in 1297; Adam son of Penne was listed at Wakefield, Yorkshire in 1277; and John Penn(e) was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 and the Subsidy Rolls for Essex. [6]

Early History of the Penland family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Penland research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1621, 1644, 1670, 1674, 1681, 1696, 1718, 1720, 1741 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Penland History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Penland Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Penland are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. 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. The variations of the name Penland include: Penn, Pen, Penner and others.

Early Notables of the Penland family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir William Penn (1621-1670), an English admiral; and his son, William Penn (1644-1718), an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, early Quaker who receive a large tract of American land to satisfy a debt the king...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Penland Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Penland Ranking

In the United States, the name Penland is the 7,252nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [7]

Ireland Migration of the Penland family to Ireland

Some of the Penland 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.


United States Penland migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Penland or a variant listed above:

Penland Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Herman Penland, aged 1, who landed in America, in 1902
  • Edward Penland, aged 4, who arrived in New York in 1902 aboard the ship "Philadelphia" from Southampton, England [8]
  • Herman Penland, who arrived in New York in 1902 aboard the ship "Philadelphia" from Southampton, England [8]
  • Friedl Penland, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1902 aboard the ship "Philadelphia" from Southampton, England [8]
  • Ralph D. Penland, who immigrated to America, in 1916
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Penland migration to Australia +

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

Penland Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Jane Penland, (Pentland), (b. 1811), aged 21, English dress maker who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [9]

Contemporary Notables of the name Penland (post 1700) +

  • Theodore Penland, American Commander of The "Grand Army of the Republic" (GAR) in the late 19th century
  • Robert Penland, American businessman who in the 1850s operated an inn for travelers in what is now known as the eponymous Penland, North Carolina


The Penland 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: Dum clarum rectum teneam
Motto Translation: May I keep the line of right as well as of glory.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana


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