Pryke History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Pryke is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It was name for a young buck having been from the Old English word priket, a young buck, or a buck in his second year. 1 A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. Often nicknames described strong traits or attributes that people wished to emulate in a specific animal.

Early Origins of the Pryke family

The surname Pryke was first found in Sussex where the Subsidy Rolls for 1296 includes an entry for William Priket. In 1325, Laurence Priket was listed in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1325. 1 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included an entry for Richard Priket as holding lands in Derbyshire at that time. 2

'The crest of the family is allusive, being "a pricket—tripping, proper." 3

Early History of the Pryke family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pryke research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1611, 1672 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Pryke History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pryke Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Pryke have been found, including Prickett, Pricket, Prichet and others.

Early Notables of the Pryke family

Notables of the family at this time include Robert Pricket (fl. 1603), British poet who saw some military service in Elizabeth's reign, and afterwards sought a precarious livelihood as...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pryke Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pryke migration to Australia +

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

Pryke Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Pryke, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4

Pryke 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:

Pryke Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Pryke, aged 30, a bricklayer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Eliza Pryke, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1856
Charles J. Pryke, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1870

Contemporary Notables of the name Pryke (post 1700) +

Clement Pryke, American physicist, focusing in astrophysics and cosmology
Sir Christopher Dudley Pryke (b. 1946), 4th Baronet of Wanstead in the County of Essex, English peer
Sir David Dudley Pryke (b. 1912), 3rd Baronet of Wanstead in the County of Essex, English peer
Sir William Robert Dudley Pryke (1882-1959), 2nd Baronet of Wanstead in the County of Essex, English peer
Sir William Robert Pryke (1847-1932), 1st Baronet of Wanstead in the County of Essex, Chairman of Pryke & Palmer Ltd, iron and hardware merchants, Lord Mayor of London (1925-1926), English peer
Richard Pryke, British Academy Award winning sound engineer for the film Slumdog Millionaire
Anne Pryke, Jersey politician, Deputy for Trinity (2011)
Sarah Pryke, South African behavioural and evolutionary ecologist
Paula Shane Pryke OBE (b. 1960), British florist and author

The Pryke 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: Auxillium ab alto
Motto Translation: Aid from above.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie