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The Parnill name is thought to be derived from the medieval female personal name "Peronel, Pernel, Parnell," which came from the Latin "Petronilla," or "Petronia," which was the name of an early Roman martyr. 1 Other sources suggest that the Parnill name is a reference to Pernelle, Normandy, a place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. "Pernelle was near Valognes, Normandy." 2
The surname Parnill was first found in Cheshire 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.
The township of Poulton, with Spittal was once a family seat as the manor was once held by the Parnell family. 3
By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family had scattered and entries were found as both a forename and surname: Petronilla de le Le in Oxfordshire; Pernel Clere in Huntingdonshire; William Peronel and Alexander Pernel in Cambridgeshire. 1 "The Parnells are now principally seated in Devon and Cornwall, but there are a few in Cambridgeshire." 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parnill research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1679 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Parnill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Parnell, Parnel, Parnall and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Parnill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Parnill or a variant listed above: Walter and William Parnell, who arrived in Virginia in 1623; Edward Parnell, who came to Bermuda in 1635; Daniel Parnell, who settled in Georgia with his wife in 1735.