Ponce History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Ponce was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ponce family lived in Cumberland, at Ponsonby, from whence the family derived their name.
Early Origins of the Ponce family
The surname Ponce was first found in Cumberland at Ponsonby, a parish, in the union of Whitehaven, Allerdale ward above Derwent. 1 "Before the adoption of the surname, they are said to have been of Hale, in the same county. Still earlier, according to a family tradition, they were of the noble rank in Picardy, the founder of the house in England having come over with the Conqueror, who appointed him his Barber! The three combs in the arms of Ponsonby are alleged in support of this story, and if further evidence can possibly be desired, the chevron that separates them may adumbrate the open razor, wherewithal the dread face of the mighty Conqueror was denuded of its manly appendage!" 2
Early History of the Ponce family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ponce research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1340, 1546, 1604, 1660, 1679, 1713, 1739, 1758 and 1789 are included under the topic Early Ponce History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ponce Spelling Variations
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Ponsonby, Pounceby, Pownceby and others.
Early Notables of the Ponce family
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ponce Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ponce World Ranking
In the United States, the name Ponce is the 1,137th most popular surname with an estimated 27,357 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Ponce is ranked the 3,661st most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 4 And in South America, the name Ponce is the 87th popular surname with an estimated 54 people with that name. 5
Migration of the Ponce family to Ireland
Some of the Ponce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Ponce migration to the United States +
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Ponce or a variant listed above:
Ponce Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joh Gottlieb Ponce, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 6
Ponce Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Juan Ponce, who arrived in America in 1811 6
- Hernan Ponce, who arrived in America in 1811 6
- Ines Ponce, who arrived in America in 1829 6
- Maria Ponce, aged 42, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1829 6
- Heman Ponce, who landed in Cartagena in 1834 6
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Ponce 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.
7Ponce Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century
- Ana Ponce, who landed in Dominican Republic in 1835 6
Contemporary Notables of the name Ponce (post 1700) +
- Ramón Héctor Ponce (1948-2019), Argentine professional footballer
- Camilo Ponce Enríquez (1912-1976), President of Ecuador 1956–1960
- Manuel María Ponce Brousset (1874-1966), President of Peru for two days in 1966
- Miguel Ángel Ponce (b. 1989), Mexican footballer
- Manuel Barbachano Ponce (1924-1994), Mexican film producer, director, screenwriter, and novelist
- Waldo Ponce (b. 1982), Chilean footballer
- Sergio Amaury Ponce (b. 1981), Mexican footballer
- Manuel Ponce (1882-1948), Mexican composer
- Edgar Ponce (1974-2005), Mexican actor and dancer
- Daniel Ponce de León (b. 1980), Mexican professional boxer
- ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Ponce 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: Pro rege, lege grege
Motto Translation: For the King, law and people.
Citations +
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- "List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
- 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)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies