In ancient
Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Packenam surname lived in the parish of Pakenham found in the county of
Suffolk. This place-name was a habitation name which denoted where the Packenam family held their land. The original bearers of the Packenam surname took their name from the parish where they dwelt, so that they could be identified whenever they moved from their original dwelling place.
Early Origins of the Packenam family
The surname Packenam was first found in
Suffolk at Pakenham, a village that dates back to Saxon times when it was first listed as Pakenham c. 950. By the
Domesday Book of 1086, the village was listed as Pachenham
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8) and literally meant "homestead or village of a man called Pacca," from the Old English
personal name + "ham."
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Early History of the Packenam family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Packenam research.
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1794, 1713, 1776, 1743, 1792, 1774, 1835, 1785, 1794, 1774, 1835, 1817, 1860 and 1933 are included under the topic Early Packenam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Packenam Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few
hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early
Anglo-Saxon surnames like Packenam are characterized by many
spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Packenam include: Pakenham, Packenham, Pagenam and others.
Early Notables of the Packenam family (pre 1700)
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Packenam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Packenam family to Ireland
Some of the Packenam family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 183 words (13 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Packenam family to the New World and Oceana
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Packenam or a variant listed above: George Pakenham settled in Virginia in 1643.