Pearce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


It was among those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain that the name Pearce was formed. The name was derived from the baptismal name for the son of Peter. In the religious naming tradition surnames were bestowed in honor of religious figures or church officials. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Personal names derived from the names of saints, apostles, biblical figures, and missionaries are widespread in most European countries. In the Middle Ages, they became increasingly popular because people believed that the souls of the deceased continued to be involved in this world. They named their children after saints in the hope that the child would be blessed or protected by the saint.

Early Origins of the Pearce family

The surname Pearce was first found in Somerset where one of the first records of the family was listed with an early spelling of the name: Richard Perys, 1 Edward III (during the first year's reign of King Edward III.) The same rolls included Robert Peres; Ralph Peres; and Adam Peres. 1

Some of the family were also found in Cornwall. "The barton house of Davidstowe, [in the parish of Davistow, Cornwall] which is now inhabited by labourers, and Trehane, now occupied by a farmer, were originally seats of the Pearse family, from whom, together with their estates, they passed in marriage to John Nicholls, Esq. Since that time Davidstowe has again returned to the Pearse family; and, together with the great tithes, is now the property of William Pearse, Esq.. whose residence is at Holwell." 2

Early History of the Pearce family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pearce research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1520, 1548, 1603, 1612, 1615, 1622, 1625, 1629, 1630, 1645, 1661, 1667, 1674, 1690, 1691, 1694, 1697, 1699, 1714, 1719, 1726, 1772, 1845 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pearce History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pearce Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Pearce include Pearce, Pierce, Pierse, Pearse, Pears, Peerce, Peers, Peirse and many more.

Early Notables of the Pearce family

Distinguished members of the family include William Peeris (fl. 1520), English chronicler, clerk in holy orders and secretary to Henry Algernon Percy, fifth earl of Northumberland. Stephen Perse (1548-1615), was founder of the Perse Grammar School at Cambridge and Fellow of Cambridge College. Sir Edmund Peirce or Pierse (died 1667), of Greenwich, Kent and Holborn, Middlesex, was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Maidstone 1661 to 1667...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pearce Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pearce World Ranking

In the United States, the name Pearce is the 1,032nd most popular surname with an estimated 29,844 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Pearce is ranked the 652nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,929 people with that name. 4 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Pearce is the 219th popular surname with an estimated 198 people with that name. 5 Australia ranks Pearce as 97th with 26,294 people. 6 New Zealand ranks Pearce as 124th with 3,667 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Pearce as 123rd with 40,435 people. 8

Migration of the Pearce family to Ireland

Some of the Pearce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 201 words (14 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Pearce migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Pearce were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Pearce Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Pearce Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Pearce Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Pearce migration to Australia +

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

Pearce Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Pearce 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:

Pearce Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Pearce migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17
Pearce Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Pearce (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Pearce +
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