Packman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Packman is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Packman family lived in Kent, at Peckham. The surname of derives from the Old English words pekke, indicating the top of a mountain or hill, and ham, meaning homestead or settlement, and distinguished the settlement by its proximity to a prominent peak.

Early Origins of the Packman family

The surname Packman was first found in Kent at either East Peckham or West Peckham. Both are villages that date back to the 10th century where they were collectively listed as Peccham. By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, they were known as Pecheham 1 and were held by the Archbishop. At that time, there was a church, ten servants, one mill, and six acres of meadow.

Part of the manor of East Farleigh lay within what is now East Peckham which was held by Ralph Fitz Turold.

The place name literally means "homestead by a peak or hill." 2 Peckham was a hamlet, in the parish and union of Camberwell, E. division of the hundred of Brixton in Surrey, but is now a district in South-East London within the London Borough of Southwark. 3

Early History of the Packman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Packman research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1272, 1279, 1292, 1346, 1372, 1377, 1380, 1383, 1388, 1389, 1400, 1572, 1608, 1615, 1654 and 1673 are included under the topic Early Packman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packman 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 Packman 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 Packman include Peckham, Pecham, Peckem, Peckam, Packham and others.

Early Notables of the Packman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Archbishop Peckham of Kent; John Peckham (1230-1292), English Archbishop of Canterbury (1279-1292); James Peckham (c.1346-1400), English politician, Member of Parliament for Kent 1372, 1377, 1383, 1388, and 1388, appointed Sheriff of Kent in...
Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Packman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packman 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 Packman, or a variant listed above:

Packman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Geo Packman, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 4
Sarah Packman, who landed in Maryland in 1673 4

Packman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Packman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Packman who was convicted in Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Pester Packman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Princess Royal" in 1848 6

Packman 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:

Packman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Packman, aged 21, a wheelwright, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
Eleanor Jane Packman, aged 25, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
Elizabeth Packman, aged 3, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mary Ann" in 1842
Mr. Alfred Packman, (b. 1844), aged 30, English settler from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Sussex" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th July 1874 7
Mrs. Caroline Packman, (b. 1847), aged 27, English settler from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Sussex" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 17th July 1874 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Packman 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: Tentanda via est
Motto Translation: The way must be tried.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PRINCESS ROYAL 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848PrincessRoyal.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html