When the ancestors of the Prymmer family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, they brought their name with them. It is a name 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 Prymmer 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 Prymmer family
The surname Prymmer 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 Prymmer family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prymmer research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Prymmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Prymmer Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Primer, Primar, Primmer, Brymmer, Brimmer and many more.
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Early Notables of the Prymmer family
More information is included under the topic Early Prymmer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Prymmer family
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Prymmer or a variant listed above: 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
