| ![Show Contents]() Parkhearsts History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The history of the Parkhearsts family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the region of Parkhurst or wood in the park. Parkhearsts 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. Early Origins of the Parkhearsts familyThe surname Parkhearsts was first found in Herefordshire where Sir Osbern Pentecost (died 1054), a Norman knight who followed Edward the Confessor to England built the castle at Ewyas, one of the first Motte and Bailey structures in England. He like many other Normans was banished from England so he secured safe passage to Scotland in 1052 but was later killed at the Battle of Dunsinane. "The Bishops of Exeter held Ashburton, [Devon] until it was assumed by the Crown under James I., and subsequently sold in moieties to Sir Robert Parkhurst and the Earl of Feversham. " 1 Early History of the Parkhearsts familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Parkhearsts research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1511, 1560, 1569, 1574, 1603, 1625, 1635, 1636, 1651, 1659, 1674, 1743, 1797 and 1809 are included under the topic Early Parkhearsts History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Parkhearsts Spelling VariationsUntil quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Parkhearsts include Parkhurst, Pankhurst and others. Early Notables of the Parkhearsts familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Emily Pankhurst, Suffragette; John Parkhurst (c. 1511-1574), an English Marian exile and later Bishop of Norwich in 1560; Sir Robert Parkhurst (c.1569-1636), an English merchant who was Lord Mayor of...
Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Parkhearsts Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Parkhearsts familySearching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Parkhearsts or a variant listed above: Anthony Parkhurst settled in Virginia in 1635; George Parkhurst settled in New England in 1630; John Parkhurst settled in Maryland in 1774.
- Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
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