Peyton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Peyton is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Peyton family lived in Sussex, at Peyton, a small town near Boxford from whence their name derives.
Early Origins of the Peyton family
The surname Peyton was first found in Suffolk where "the Peytons have a common descent with the Uffords, afterwards Earls of Suffolk, from the great Baron William Mallet, who came hither at the Conquest. The first of the family who assumed the surname was Reginald de Peyton, lord of Peyton in the parish of Boxford, co. Suffolk, in which county, at Isleham, in later centuries, his descendants were very eminent. In medieval charters, this surname was latinized De Pavilliano and Pietonus." 1 2 Later some of the family were found at Doddington in Cambridgeshire. " The manor was one of the ancient estates of the church of Ely, and was alienated by Bishop Heton to the crown in 1600; it soon afterwards became the property of the Peytons, who appear to have been settled here nearly a century before, as lessees of the bishop. John Peyton was created a Baronet in 1660, and dying without issue, his next brother, Algernon, was advanced to the same dignity in 1666. The title again becoming extinct in 1771, on the death of Sir Thomas Peyton, who was the last male heir of the family, Henry Dashwood, Esq., whose father had married a daughter of Sir Sewster Peyton, succeeded to the estate, took the name of Peyton by act of parliament, and was created a baronet in 1776." 3 There is a small chapelry named Peyton in Devon in the parish and hundred of Bampton, union of Tiverton and this may be a later branch of the family.
Early History of the Peyton family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peyton research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1588, 1593, 1595, 1604, 1607, 1613, 1621, 1622, 1623, 1624, 1626, 1630, 1640, 1644, 1657, 1661, 1679, 1684, 1707 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Peyton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Peyton Spelling Variations
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Peyton include Peyton, Payton and others.
Early Notables of the Peyton family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- Sir John Peyton (1544-1630), English soldier and Governor of Jersey from Isleham, Cambridgeshire; and his son, Sir Edward Peyton (1588-1657), English parliamentarian, High Sheriff of the Cambridgeshir...
- Thomas Peyton (1595-1626), was an English poet from Royston, Cambridgeshire, probably a younger son of Sir John Peyton of Isleham
- Sir Samuel Peyton, (d. 1623) was 1st Baronet, of Knowlton, Kent; and his son, Sir Thomas Peyton, 2nd Baronet (1613-1684), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Sandwich (1640-1644) and K...
- Sir Henry Peyton (died 1622), was an English adventurer, son of Thomas Peyton of Bury St. Edmunds. He was subscribed £37. 10s. towards the fund for colonising Virginia in 1607
- Another Henry Peyton, born on 4 Aug. 1604, was third son of Sir John Peyton of Doddington, and grandson of Sir John Peyton
- Sir Edward Peyton (died 1657) 2nd Baronet, was an English landowner and politician Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire (1621-1622) and (1624-1626) fought for the Parliamentary cause in the English...
- Edward Peyton (died 1749) was Commodore, entering the navy in 1707 as a volunteer per order on board the Scarborough. Commodore Sir John Peyton of Devon was another British Royal Navy officer. 4
Peyton Ranking
In the United States, the name Peyton is the 3,749th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Peyton is ranked the 708th most popular surname with an estimated 61 people with that name. 6
Migration of the Peyton family to Ireland
Some of the Peyton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Peyton migration to the United States +
In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Peytons to arrive on North American shores:
Peyton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Henry Peyton, who landed in Virginia in 1659 7
- Thomas Peyton, who landed in Maryland in 1665 7
- Valentine Peyton, who arrived in Virginia in 1665 7
- Richard Peyton, who landed in Maryland in 1676 7
- Robert Peyton, who arrived in Virginia in 1694 7
Peyton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- George Peyton, who settled in Virginia in 1748
- Anne Peyton, who settled in Virginia in 1761
Peyton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Ann Peyton, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1826 7
- William R Peyton, who landed in Texas in 1835 7
- John Peyton, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 7
Peyton migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Peyton Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
- Mr. Isaac Peyton, (Payten), (b. 1759), aged 38, English stone mason who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1829 8
Peyton 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:
Peyton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Stanley Peyton, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1860
- Selina Peyton, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Nimroud" in 1860
Contemporary Notables of the name Peyton (post 1700) +
- Tony Peyton (1922-2007), American member of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team
- Malcolm Peyton (b. 1932), American composer, concert director, conductor, and teacher
- Joseph Hopkins Peyton (1808-1845), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee (1843-1845)
- Jane Peyton (1870-1946), American Broadway lead and supporting actress
- Herbert Hill "Herb" Peyton (b. 1932), American entrepreneur and founder of Gate Petroleum in Jacksonville, Florida
- Dave Peyton (1885-1955), American songwriter, pianist, arranger and orchestra leader
- Caroline Peyton (b. 1951), American singer and songwriter
- Benton E. "Benny" Peyton (1890-1965), American jazz drummer
- Balie Peyton (1803-1878), American lawyer and politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee (1833-1837)
- Rev. Fr. Patrick Peyton (1909-1992), Irish-born, American priest, also known as The Rosary Priest
- ... (Another 20 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Peyton 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: Patior, potior
Motto Translation: I endure, I enjoy
Suggested Readings for the name Peyton +
- The Peytons of Virginia by Peyton Society of Virginia.
- Yelverton Payton by Mary Evelyn Cook Treadway.
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell