The name Prymer came to England with the ancestors of the Prymer family in the Norman Conquest in 1066. The surname Prymer is for a priest or other ecclesiastical official who read at prime, the first canonical hour. The occupational name Primmer is derived from the Latin primus meaning first, prime. there was also another occupation which was known by the name primmer, and that was the Chief Forester of the King's lands. Since each derivation is equally appropriate Prymer 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.
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Early Origins of the Prymer family
The surname Prymer was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
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Early History of the Prymer family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prymer research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Prymer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Prymer Spelling Variations
Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Primer, Primar, Primmer, Brymmer, Brimmer and many more.
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Early Notables of the Prymer family
More information is included under the topic Early Prymer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Prymer family
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Prymer or a variant listed above were: John Primms, who settled in Maryland in 1679; William Primmer, who came to America in 1724; Adam Primmer, whose oath of allegiance was recorded in Pennsylvania in 1777.
England
