Pycher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Pycher arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is a name for a caulker, one who was employed to seal the hulls of ships with pitch. Another derivation of this name suggests that it originated as a variation on the Norman French personal name Pichere. Pycher 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 Pycher family

The surname Pycher was first found in Buckinghamshire 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.

Early History of the Pycher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pycher research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Pycher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pycher Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Pitcher, Picher, Pichere and others.

Early Notables of the Pycher family

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

Migration of the Pycher family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Pycher or a variant listed above: Thomas Pitcher, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Andrew Pitcher, who came to Dorchester, MA in 1641; Mary Pitcher, who arrived in Virginia in 1650; John Pitcher who settled in Virginia in 1653.

The Pycher 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: Perseverentia et labore
Motto Translation: By perseverance and labour