| {{ad}} |
|
|
|
| Origins Available: |
| | England |
Powney is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Powney family lived in Cheshire, at Pownall, from whence they derived their name.
The surname Powney was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Powney research. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1520, 1560, 1571, 1722, 1731, 1757 and 1805 are included under the topic Early Powney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Pownall, Pownal, Pownell, Pownel and others.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert Pownall (1520-1571), was an English Protestant divine, born at Barwick in Somerset. In 1520, fled from England during Queen Mary's reign. For thirty years, he wrote and did translations, returning to England, Pownall was ordained priest by Grindal on 1 May 1560, being then described as 'aged 40 and more.' 1
Thomas Pownall...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Powney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Powney or a variant listed above: