Piercey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Piercey is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Piercey family lived in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. They claim the same ancestry as Tesson and Marmion in Normandy, both relatively rare names today. One of the oldest records was Ralph Tesson who was found in Anjou in the 10th century. He acquired a barony in Normandy and founded the abbey of Fontenay. From this House, descended the Marmions, of whom William Marmilon on Fontenay (a Tesson estate) was listed. It is generally thought that the Percys probably derive from Ernegis Tesson. 1 "The arms of these families show their common origin." All bear a fesse with the Percys having a fesse indented. 1
Early Origins of the Piercey family
The surname Piercey was first found in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire where "William de Perci, who with his brother Serlo, assisted in the Conquest of England, appears in the Domesday [Book] as tenant in capite in many counties, especially in those of York and Lincoln.
Perci is the name of a parish and canton near St. Lo, in Normandy, the ancient fief on the family." 2 Sawley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was an early home to the family. "It belonged to a Cistercian abbey in honour of the Blessed Virgin, founded here in 1146, by William de Percy, and the revenue of which, at the Dissolution, was estimated at £221." 3
Thirsk in the North Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family. "In the reign of Henry VII., during a popular commotion, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, and lieutenant of this county, is said to have been put to death here, beneath a very ancient elm-tree, which formerly grew on Elm Green." 3
Again in North Yorkshire, more early records of the family were found in the parish of Lofthouse. "This place, in the Domesday Survey Lochtushum, was granted by the Conqueror to Hugh Lupus, Earl of Chester, who soon afterwards transferred it to the Percy family, of whom William de Percy, the third Baron, in 1133 founded at Handall, in the parish, a priory for Benedictine nuns." 3
And yet another branch of the family was found in Wressel in the East Riding of Yorkshire. "Wressel Castle was built by Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, who was made prisoner at the battle of Shrewsbury, and afterwards beheaded; this once princely mansion continued to be a seat of the family till the reign of Charles I., when it was dismantled by order of the parliament." 3
Early History of the Piercey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Piercey research. Another 378 words (27 lines of text) covering the years 1341, 1343, 1362, 1364, 1367, 1403, 1408, 1560, 1564, 1586, 1602, 1605, 1631, 1632, 1646, 1667, 1668, 1690 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Piercey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Piercey Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Piercey has been recorded under many different variations, including Percy, Percie and others.
Early Notables of the Piercey family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Henry Percy (1364-1403), commonly known as Sir Harry Hotspur, slain leading the losing side at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403; and Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester, (1343-1403), English medieval nobleman best known for taking part in the rebellion with his nephew Henry Percy, known as 'Harry Hotspur', with his elder brother, Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland
Alan Percy (died 1560), was Master of St. John's College, Cambridge, third son of Henry Percy, fourth Earl of Northumberland.
Thomas Percy (c.1560-1605), was a member of the Gunpowder Plot. Henry Percy, 1st Earl...
Another 125 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Piercey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Piercey Ranking
In Newfoundland, Canada, the name Piercey is the 59th most popular surname with an estimated 436 people with that name. 4
Piercey migration to the United States +
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Pierceys were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Piercey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Abraham Piercey, who arrived in Virginia in 1616 5
Piercey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Annie Piercey, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1892
- Ethel Piercey, aged 7, who landed in America, in 1892
Piercey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Mabel Clotilda Piercey, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Portsmouth, England, in 1915
- Jane Adile Piercey, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Swansea, Wales, in 1918
- George Piercey, aged 37, who landed in America, in 1920
- George Piercey, aged 37, who settled in America, in 1921
- Samuel Piercey, aged 38, who landed in America, in 1922
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Piercey migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Piercey Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Charles Piercey, aged 52, destined for St. John's Newfoundland, in 1903
- Charles Piercey, aged 34, who immigrated to Newfoundland, in 1922
- Frank Piercey, aged 36, who settled in Brigus, Newfoundland in 1922
- Garfield Piercey, aged 27, who settled in Newfoundland in 1923
- George Piercey, aged 25, who immigrated to Trinity, Newfoundland in 1923
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Piercey migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Piercey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Thomas Piercey, English Convict from Sussex, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6
Contemporary Notables of the name Piercey (post 1700) +
- Melvin Piercey, American politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1938 7
- Lawrence Piercey (1908-1989), American politician, Candidate for Secretary of State of Michigan, 1940; Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1940, 1948 7
- John Harold Piercey, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 9th District, 1952; Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1952; Circuit Judge in Michigan 14th Circuit, 1962-77 7
- Clarence Piercey, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 2004 7
- Anna T. Piercey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Utah, 1936 7
- Nick Piercey (b. 1960), English broadcaster
- Sheila Piercey (b. 1919), South African tennis player
Historic Events for the Piercey family +
SS Caribou
- Mr. Mack K. Piercey (b. 1918), Newfoundland passenger who was Royal Navy from Fortune, Newfoundland and Labrador was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he survived the sinking
- Mr. Benjamin Piercey (b. 1882), Newfoundlander from New Perlican, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
The Piercey 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: Esperance en Dieu
Motto Translation: Hope in God.
Citations +
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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)
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html