Pacy is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Pacy family lived in Cheshire. The name, however, is a reference to Pacy Sur Eure, in Evreux, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
The surname Pacy was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat from very early times. This surname is so old that they 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 Pacy research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1153, 1482, 1536, 1509, 1516, 1514 and 1523 are included under the topic Early Pacy 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 Pace, Paice, Pacie, Pacy and others.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Richard Pace (c. 1482-1536), an English diplomat of the Tudor period. In 1509, he accompanied Cardinal Christopher Bainbridge, Archbishop of York, to Rome and remained with him until the cardinal's death by poisoning. He was instrumental in bringing the murderer to justice. He returned to England and became Cardinal Wolsey's secretary and in 1516 a Secretary of State. He was also...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pacy 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 Pacy or a variant listed above: