Show ContentsPoulter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Poulter family

The surname Poulter was first found in Hertfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that county.

Early History of the Poulter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Poulter research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1504, 1510, 1541, 1546, 1547, 1600, 1605, 1678 and 1996 are included under the topic Early Poulter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Poulter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Poulter, Poulterer, Puleter, Pulter, Powlter and many more.

Early Notables of the Poulter family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Poulter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Poulter migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Poulter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Poulter, aged 31, who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "David" in 1635 [1]
  • John Poulter, who landed in New England in 1657 [2]
  • Edward Poulter, who arrived in Maryland in 1657 [2]
  • Thomas Poulter, who arrived in Virginia in 1661 [2]
  • Charles Poulter, who landed in Maryland in 1676 [2]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Poulter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Eliza Poulter, aged 30, who landed in America from Durham, in 1892
Poulter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alfred Poulter, aged 14, who settled in America from England, in 1904
  • Ellen Poulter, aged 32, who immigrated to the United States from Bury St. Edmunds, England, in 1907
  • Annie Poulter, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from Woking, England, in 1913
  • Arthur Poulter, aged 24, who landed in America from Plumpton, England, in 1913
  • Edith Rosa Poulter, aged 32, who immigrated to America from Burton, England, in 1914
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Poulter migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Poulter Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • George Poulter, aged 62, who immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1910
  • Florence Poulter, aged 25, who immigrated to Calgary, Canada, in 1913

Australia Poulter migration to Australia +

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

Poulter Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Poulter, English convict who was convicted in Leeds, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [3]
  • Alfred Poulter, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Royal Admiral" in 1838 [4]
  • George Poulter, English convict from Southampton, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia [5]

New Zealand Poulter migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Poulter Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Poulter, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
  • Samuel Poulter, aged 21, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Mahalah Poulter, aged 20, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "London" in 1842
  • Henry Poulter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1865

Contemporary Notables of the name Poulter (post 1700) +

  • Thomas "Doc Poulter" Poulter (1897-1978), American Arctic explorer
  • Marlene Clark Poulter, American television soap opera writer
  • Preston Poulter, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Texas State House of Representatives 115th District, 2008, 2012 [6]
  • Arthur Poulter (1893-1956), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Ray Poulter (b. 1929), Australian rules football player
  • Ian Poulter (b. 1976), British PGA golfer
  • Sebastian Poulter (d. 1998), British legal scholar

HMS Royal Oak
  • Richard Poulter (d. 1939), British Signalman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking [7]


  1. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ROYAL ADMIRAL 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838RoyalAdmiral.htm
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html


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