Contents [hide]

Pile History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Pile History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Scotland

There three schools of thought about the origin of the name Pile. First, some believe the name "was derived from a geographical locality, 'at the peel' or fortified house." 1 2 Secondly, some believe the name was an "English 'west-country word for a creek,'." 3 4 5 Finally, one source claims the name to be derived from the Old English word "pil," denoting a "dweller by the stake or post." 6

In heraldry, a "pile" is an ordinary or division of the field, typically drawn as a pointed spike or arrow from the top of the shield towards the bottom (as shown in the Coat of Arms for the name which shows three gold piles)

Early Origins of the Pile family

The surname Pile was first found in Somerset, where Henry de la Pil was recorded in 1221. Later, we found Robert Pile in the Assize Rolls for Somerset in 1243 and Robert Attepile in Somerset in 1274. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the widespread use of the name by that time: Richard de la Pile, Somerset; Benedict de la Pille, Devon; and Nicholas de Pille, Essex. 1

But Somerset proved to be the stronghold of the family as Kirby's Quest noted: Walter atte Pyle; Richard atte Pile; and William atte Pyle all held lands there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 7

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had only one entry, that of Thomas del Pille. 1

"Pile or Pyle is a name that has long been associated with Exeter and its neighbourhood. George Pyle was sheriff of Exeter in 1620. Pile was a common name in Exmouth in the 17th century. The name still mostly gathers round Exeter and its district. " 8

In Scotland, "John Pill held a tenement in Irvine in 1418. Philip Pyle, merchant of the realm of Scotland, had safe conducts to travel in England in 1444 and 1446. Philip Pyle was a notary public in Jedworth in 1454, William Pyle or Pyll appears as burgess of Irvine in 1465 and 1472, and Thomas Pyle was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1506. John Pill was curator for Robert Vaus in Aberdeen in 1533, six persons of the name are recorded in 1577, Isobel Pylie appears in Edinburgh in 1621, and George Pyll is recorded in Oxnam nook in 1685." 3

Early History of the Pile family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pile research. Another 218 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1418, 1444, 1446, 1597, 1603, 1650, 1674, 1756, 1780 and 1804 are included under the topic Early Pile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pile Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Pyle, Pile, Pyll, Pyles, Pylie, Pilie, Pill and others.

Early Notables of the Pile family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

Sir Francis Pile

Pile migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pile Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Judeth Pile, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 9
Joseph Pile, who landed in Maryland in 1669 9
William Pile, who settled in Carolina in 1678
Robert, Ann and daughter Sarah Pile (Pyle) who, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1683
Robert Pile, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1683 9

Pile Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Pile, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 9

Pile Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Pile, who arrived in America in 1807 9
Mr. F. G. Pile, (b. 1814), aged 53, Barbadian merchant traveling aboard the ship "Gazelle" arriving in New York in 1867 10
Mrs. E. A. Pile, (b. 1827), aged 40, Barbadian settler traveling aboard the ship "Gazelle" arriving in New York in 1867 10
Miss Pile, (b. 1847), aged 20, Barbadian settler traveling aboard the ship "Gazelle" arriving in New York in 1867 10
Miss A. C. Pile, (b. 1851), aged 16, Barbadian settler traveling aboard the ship "Gazelle" arriving in New York in 1867 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pile migration to Australia +

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

Pile Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Pile, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Competitor" in 1848 11
George Pile, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Constant" in 1849 12
Andrew Pile, aged 25, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Ostrich" 13

Pile migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 14

Pile Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Sarah Pile settled with her servants in Barbados in 1680

Contemporary Notables of the name Pile (post 1700) +

Richard Pile (b. 1849), American ordinary seaman serving in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for bravery
William Anderson Pile (1829-1889), American politician and minister from Missouri, Civil War general in the Union Army, and Governor of New Mexico Territory (1869-1871)
William Anderson Pile (1829-1889), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Missouri 1st District, 1867-69; Governor of New Mexico Territory, 1869-71; U.S. Minister to Venezuela, 1871-74 15
Ross I. Pile, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1948 15
Roscoe Pile, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Colorado, 1940, 1952; Member of Colorado State House of Representatives, 1950 15
James Pile, American politician, Representative from Kentucky 1st District, 1900 15
J. Charles Pile, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1952 15
Grace S. Pile, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1924 15
D. Pile, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 6th District, 1869 15
Chris Pile (b. 1967), English former footballer
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Pile family +

HMS Dorsetshire

Samuel Frank Pile (d. 1945), British Petty Officer aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 16

HMS Repulse

Mr. Edward Pile, British Stoker Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 17

Victoria steamboat disaster

Samuel Pile, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
Barbados archives retrieved 27th October 2021 from https://atthebarbadosarchives.wordpress.com/2003/07/18/barbados-heritage-passenger-lists-and-barbados-departures/
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) COMPETITOR 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Competitor.gif
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The CONSTANT 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Constant.htm
South Australian Register Saturday 22nd July 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Ostrich 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/ostrich1854.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html