St Pierre History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name St Pierre arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name St Pierre comes from the name of Christ's apostle, St. Peter. Known as Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, Cephas, or Peter the Apostle, he was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, and one of the first leaders of the early Church. It is generally thought that he was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero between 64 and 68 AD.
Early Origins of the St Pierre family
The surname St Pierre was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Malpas. They were a branch of the St. Pierres of Malpas who were related to the Lord of Malpas, and Earls of Chester.
Chalfont St. Peter's is a parish, in the union of Amersham, hundred of Burnham, in Buckinghamshire. With nearby Chalfont St. Giles, both parishes were known as Celfunte in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1
Early History of the St Pierre family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our St Pierre research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1320 is included under the topic Early St Pierre History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
St Pierre 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 St. Pier, St. Piere, St. Pierre, St. Peter and others.
Early Notables of the St Pierre family
More information is included under the topic Early St Pierre Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
St Pierre World Ranking
In the United States, the name St Pierre is the 3,358th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name St Pierre is ranked the 746th most popular surname with an estimated 7,186 people with that name. 3 And in Quebec, Canada, the name St Pierre is the 32nd popular surname. 4
St Pierre migration to Canada +
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 St Pierre or a variant listed above:
St Pierre Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Ignace St. Pierre, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Madeleine Pelletier, daughter of Jean and Marie-Anne, in Quebec on 15th June 1717 5
- Pierre-Charles St. Pierre, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Geneviève Tondreau, daughter of Pierre and Marie-Anne, in L'Islet, Quebec on 18th February 1727 5
- Joseph St. Pierre, son of Pierre and Marie-Reine, who married Élisabeth Mouet, daughter of Pierre and Élisabeth, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on 7th January 1728 5
- Alexandre St. Pierre, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Marie Chouinard, daughter of Jacques and Louise, in L'Islet, Quebec on 15th November 1728 5
- Pierre-Louis St. Pierre, son of Pierre and Marie-Madeleine, who married Louise Séguin, daughter of Jean and Louise, in Charlesbourg, Quebec on 24th April 1740 5
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name St Pierre (post 1700) +
- Daniel "Dan" St. Pierre, American film director, art director, production designer, actor, animation artist, and musician
- Brian Fuller St. Pierre (b. 1979), former American football quarterback
- Monique St. Pierre (b. 1953), German-born American model and actress
- Allen St. Pierre, American Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
- Paul Matthew St. Pierre (b. 1992), Canadian academic and writer
- Tim St. Pierre (b. 1986), professional Canadian football fullback and long snapper for the Calgary Stampeders
- Nicolas "Nick" St. Pierre (b. 1985), Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman
- Maxim Joseph St. Pierre (b. 1980), Canadian professional Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit Tigers in the 2010 season
- Jonathan St. Pierre (b. 1983), former professional Canadian football offensive lineman
- Joseph Louis Martin St. Pierre (b. 1983), Canadian professional ice hockey player
- ... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Citations +
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
- "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
- Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.