The ancestors of the name Pallam date back to the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the region
of Pelham. Pallam is a
topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree.
Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other
local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.
Early Origins of the Pallam family
The surname Pallam was first found in
Hertfordshire at either Brent Pelham, Furneux Pelham or Stocking Pelham. Today they form the civil parish of Brent Pelham and Meesden. They date back to the
Domesday Book of 1086 where they were listed as Peleham.
[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) The place name literally means "homestead of a man called Peola." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) Barndepelham was listed in 1230; Stokenepelham in 1235 and Pelham Furnelle in 1240. The prefixes literally mean "burnt, destroyed by fire" for the Old English word "baerned" and "made of logs" for the Old English word "stoccen." [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) The latter was from the de Fornellis family who lived there in the 13th century. Pelham's Lands or Pelhams Land is in the union of Boston, wapentake of Kirton, near the town of Boston, Lincolnshire. [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
More early records of the family were found in the parish of Laughton in Sussex. "This parish, which is situated on the road from Lewes to Hastings, has been for ages the property of the Pelham family, earls of Chichester, whose ancient manorial mansion of Laughton Place, erected in 1534, is still remaining." [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Pallam family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pallam research.
Another 191 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1065, 1556, 1540, 1624, 1597, 1654, 1650, 1653, 1712, 1694, 1754, 1743, 1693, 1768, 1695, 1751, 1721, 1805, 1748, 1806, 1695, 1751 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Pallam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Pallam Spelling Variations
Pallam has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few
hundred years,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Pallam have been found, including Pelham, Pellam and others.
Early Notables of the Pallam family (pre 1700)
Notables of the family at this time include Sir Thomas Pelham, 1st
Baronet (c.1540–1624), Member of Parliament for Lewes,
Surrey, and Sussex; Sir Thomas Pelham, 2nd
Baronet (1597–c.1654), Member of Parliament for East Grinstead and Sussex; Sir Peregrine Pelham (died 1650), an English Member of Parliament and one of the regicides...
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pallam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Pallam family to the New World and Oceana
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in
England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Pallams to arrive on North American shores: William Pelham settled with Penelope in Salem Massachusetts in 1630; along with Herbert; William Pelham and his wife Mary settled in Virginia in 1774..
The Pallam 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: Vincit amore patria
Motto Translation: My beloved country will conquer.