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Two other sources note the name was derived from "a pylch, a medieval garment, made of fur (pellis)." 2 3
The famous English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340-1400) noted "After gret heat cometh cold; No man cast his pylch away." 4 5
The surname Pilch was first found in Sussex, England where Mabilia Pullchare was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1214. In the same rolls, but later in 1271, Henry Pilchere was listed in Cambridgeshire. Henry le Pilchere was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275 and Nicholas le Pilchere was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317. 6
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had the following entries, all found in Cambridgeshire: Hugh le Pilecher; Nicholas Pilchere; and Ralph Pilkere. 5
Another researcher notes: "Swingfield church, a century ago, contained several memorials to members of the family of Pilcher, who were tenants of St. John's. Last century there flourished a New Romney family of this name, a member of which, Stephen Pilcher, gent., who died in 1768, was four times bailiff of the Marsh (H.). The names of Pilcher and Pilchere occurred in Cambridgeshire in the reign of Edward I." 7
In Scotland, the predominate spelling used was Pilche. "A family of this name were prominent in Inverness in the end of the thirteenth and beginning of the fourteenth century. Patrick Pylche, juror on an inquest in Lanarkshire, 1263, is however, the first of the name recorded in Scotland. Alexander Pilche, burgess of Inverness, was one of the leading adherents in the North of Wallace and Bruce, and joined the insurrection of Andrew of Moray, 1297 (Barron, Scottish War of Independence, passim). Alexander Pylche was prepositus of the burgh of Inuernys in 1327 (ER., I, p. 59), William Pylche held land there in 1361." 8
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pilch research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1263 and 1376 are included under the topic Early Pilch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The appearance of the printing press and the first dictionaries in the last few hundred years did much to standardize spelling. Prior to that time scribes spelled according to sound, a practice that resulted in many spelling variations. Pilch has been spelled Pilcher, Pilchert, Pilche, Pylche, Piltch and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Pilch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The expense of the crossing to the North American colonies seemed small beside the difficulties of remaining in Scotland. It was a long and hard trip, but at its end lay the reward of freedom. Some Scots remained faithful to England and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others fought in the American War of Independence. Much of this lost Scottish heritage has been recovered in the last century through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Pilch: Thomas Pilcher, who arrived in Virginia in 1652; Steven Pilcher, who came to Maryland in 1684; and William Pilchert, who arrived in Virginia in 1663.