Pluknett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Pluknett was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a maker of coarse woolen cloth and blankets. Plucknett is of Norman-French origin and derives from the name Plunket. Plunket is adapted from the Anglo-Norman-French word blancquet, meaning blanket or sheet. Another explanation suggests that the name is a local reference to Plugenett, Normandy. 1 Pluknett is a classic example of an English polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

Early Origins of the Pluknett family

The surname Pluknett was first found in Oxfordshire where the name Plukenet is found in two versions of the Roll of Battel Abbey. One of the first records of the name was Hugh de Plugenet who was made Baron by Henry II. 2 The name was also found in Ireland as early as the 11th century. 3

One of the earliest records of the family was Alan de Plugenet (died 1299), an English Baron, son of Alan de Plugenet. His family was settled at Preston Pluchenet in Somerset. He fought on the king's side in the barons' war, and was rewarded in 1265 with the manor of Haselberg, Northamptonshire. Through his mother's side, his uncle granted him Kilpeck Castle, Hereford, with other lands in Somerset, Dorset, and Wiltshire, for a yearly payment of £140. and a sparrow-hawk. He also granted Plugenet his estate at Haselberg, Somerset, for the yearly rent of one rosebud. 4

Early History of the Pluknett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pluknett research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1625, 1641, 1681 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Pluknett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pluknett Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Pluknett include Plucknett, Pluckett, Plugenett and others.

Early Notables of the Pluknett family

More information is included under the topic Early Pluknett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pluknett family to Ireland

Some of the Pluknett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pluknett family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Pluknetts to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Plucknett who settled in Virginia in 1641; and also spelled his name Plucket.

The Pluknett 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: In Deo fide
Motto Translation: Fidelity in God.

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print