Pollen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Pollen is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Pollen comes from the Norman-Christian given name Paulinus, which belonged to an early settler Anglo-Norman settler.
Early Origins of the Pollen family
The surname Pollen was first found in Staffordshire from very ancient times, and Lincolnshire where they were Lords of the Manor of Odcombe. The origin of the name has long since faded into the mists of time but most scholars give the name as a Norman Christian name belonging to a settler, Paulinus, who landed in England soon after the Norman Conquest.
Early History of the Pollen family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pollen research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1636 is included under the topic Early Pollen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Pollen Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Pollen are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pollen include Paulin, Paulyn, Pollen, Pollyn, Pollin, Polyn and many more.
Early Notables of the Pollen family
More information is included under the topic Early Pollen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Pollen family to Ireland
Some of the Pollen 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.
Pollen migration to the United States +
Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Pollen, or a variant listed above:
Pollen Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mr. John Pollen, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 aboard the ship "Friendship" 1
Pollen migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Pollen Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Peter Pollen, (b. 1814), aged 17, Scottish tailor who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
Pollen 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:
Pollen Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mary Pollen, aged 30, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Jessie Readman" in 1872 3
- Miss Mary Pollen, (b. 1842), aged 30, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Jessie Readman" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th December 1872 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Pollen (post 1700) +
- Arabella Pollen (b. 1961), English fashion designer
- John Hungerford Pollen (1858-1925), English Jesuit, known as a historian of the Protestant Reformation Life
- George Pollen (b. 1939), English composer and arranger
- Sir Walter Michael Hungerford Pollen (b. 1894), English army Captain, who was awarded the Military Cross
- Peter Pollen (1927-2017), Canadian politician, Mayor of Victoria, British Columbia (1971-1975), Leader of the BC Conservative Party (1985-1986)
- Geir Pollen (b. 1953), Norwegian poet, novelist and translator
- Ole Petter Pollen (b. 1966), Norwegian Olympic silver medalist sailor at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- François Paul Louis Pollen (1842-1886), Dutch naturalist and merchant
- Daniel Pollen (1813-1896), the son of Elizabeth (née O'Neill) and Hugh Pollen and became the ninth Premier of New Zealand, eponym of Pollen Island, New Zealand
- Arthur Joseph Hungerford Pollen (1866-1937), British writer on naval affairs
Citations +