Show ContentsPadend History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Padend came to England with the ancestors of the Padend family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Padend family lived in Essex. The name, however, is a reference to Patin, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Early Origins of the Padend family

The surname Padend was first found in Essex, where Richard Patten, son and heir of Richard Patten was of Patine, or Patten, near Chelmsford in 1119. 1 The Pattens of Bank Hill, county Lancaster claim lineal descent from this family. 2 Later some of the family became well established at Wainfleet in Lincolnshire. "A free grammar school was founded in 1424, by William Patten, generally known as William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester, lord high chancellor of England in the reign of Henry VI., and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford." 3

Early History of the Padend family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Padend research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1376, 1395, 1398, 1447, 1456, 1460, 1486, 1536, 1548, 1580, 1630, 1635, 1666, 1714 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Padend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Padend 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 Padend 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 Padend include Patten, Paten and others.

Early Notables of the Padend family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Paten or Pattyn (d. 1486), Bishop of Winchester. His son, William of Wainfleet (1395-1486) was Bishop of Winchester, Lord Chancellor of England, and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford. William Patten (fl. 1548-1580) was historian and teller of the exchequer, was eldest son and third child of Richard Patten (d. 1536), a clothworker of London. His father was a son of Richard Patten of Boslow, Derbyshire...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Padend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Padend family

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 Padend, or a variant listed above: William Patten, who settled in Cambridge Mass in 1630; Richard Patten, who arrived in Barbados in 1654; James Patten, who came to Barbados in 1685; Captain Patten, who arrived at Boston in 1768.



The Padend 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: Nulla pallescere culpa
Motto Translation: To turn pale from no crime.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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