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Peach History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Peach History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Peach reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Peach family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Peach family lived in Kent. It is thought that Peachy is of topographical origin, distinguishing a bearer who lived near a peach tree, sold peaches, or was associated with the fruit in some other way. In French it is written peche, and the addition of the letter y on to the end of the name is probably the result of its Anglicization.

The family was "an ancient baronial family, called in charters, De Peccato. They appear as early as the reign of King Stephen, and they were doubtless of Norman extraction. They were of prime importance in Kent, temp. Edward. I." 1

Early Origins of the Peach family

The surname Peach was first found in Kent where the name descends from the baronial name Peche, Latinized De Peccato. One of the oldest recordings of the name is found in a stained glass window at Lullingstone in Kent. 1

Willielmus Peccatum was a Domesday under-tennant in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex. 2 "William Pecatum was an under-tenant in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. The name may have been altered to Beach and Beachy. It has also been found as Peach and Peachy." 3

"Richard Peché was Bishop of Coventry 1162-1182, and another of the same name was Archdeacon of Malpas in Cheshire. In the course of time, [the name] lapsed into the form of Peachey or Peach. " 4

"Ralph Peche (perhaps William's son) about 1113 received from Roger, the second son of the Earl of Clare, the manor of Birdbrook in Essex ; one of those granted by Gilbert Lord Peche to Edward I.: and in 1134 Hamo Peche, in right of his wife Alice, one of the four sisters and coheirs of William Peverell, was Lord of Brunne in Cambridgeshire, and held a barony of his own in Suffolk of twelve knights' fees. He was Sheriff of Cambridge from 1164 to Easter 1166: and paid scutage on nineteen fees in 1168. He was followed by two sons, Geoffrey and Gilbert. Gilbert's wife was "a sister of that famous Fitz Walter, who led the Barons' party in the time of King John. On Fitz Walter's banishment, she had to find hostages for her loyalty. One of these hostages was her own daughter Alice." 4

Robert Peccin (Peche) was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Hampshire (1176-1177). 5 Sir John Peche (Pecche) (c. 1285-before 1335 in Honiley, Warwickshire) was Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports from 1323 to 1324.

Early History of the Peach family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peach research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1164, 1671, 1723, 1736, 1737, 1794 and 1808 are included under the topic Early Peach History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peach Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Peach family name include Peachy, Peach, Peache, Peachee, Peachey, Peche and many more.

Early Notables of the Peach family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Sir Henry Peachey (c.1671-1737), created 1st Baronet Peachey of Petworth in 1736

Peach Ranking

In the United States, the name Peach is the 7,253^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Peach is ranked the 441^st most popular surname with an estimated 106 people with that name. 7

Peach migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Peach family to immigrate North America:

Peach Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Arthur Peach, aged 20, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Plain Joan" 8
William Peach, who landed in Virginia in 1639 8
John Peach, who landed in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1648 8
Dosabell Peach, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 8
Thomas Peach, who landed in Virginia in 1653 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peach Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Dorothy Peach, who landed in Virginia in 1705 8
Daniel Peach, who arrived in America in 1788 8

Peach Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Rebecca Peach, aged 38, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813 8

Peach migration to Australia +

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

Peach Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Peach, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 27 September 1834, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. Thomas Peach, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Richard Peach, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Lilford" in 1839 11
W. Peach, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indian" in 1849 12
Mr. Benjamin Peach, English convict who was convicted in Hertford, Herfordshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Edwin Fox" on 24th August 1858, arriving in Western Australia, Australia

Peach 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:

Peach Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Peach, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Halcyon" arriving in New Zealand in 1851 13
Mr. Dixon Peach, Australian settler travelling from Melbourne, Victoria aboard the ship "Dunedin" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th March 1860 13
Mr. Frederick Peach, Australian settler travelling from Melbourne, Victoria aboard the ship "Dunedin" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th March 1860 13
Mr. Nathan Peach, Australian settler travelling from Melbourne, Victoria aboard the ship "Dunedin" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 12th March 1860 13
John Peach, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Annie Wilson" in 1863
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Peach (post 1700) +

Kenneth Peach (1903-1988), American cinematographer
Samuel M. Peach, American politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates from Prince George's County, 1908 14
Richard Peach, American politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates from Prince George's County, 1824-26 14
John Peach, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kansas, 1956 14
Charles Thomas Peach (1862-1921), American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Connecticut, 1904, 1906, 1910, 1918; Candidate for Governor of Connecticut, 1908, 1920 14
Bowdy E. Peach (b. 1979), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Oklahoma State Senate 27th District, 2008 14
Alan Peach (1890-1961), English cricketer
Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach KCB, CBE, BA, MPhil, DTech (b. 1956), RAF Officer, Chief of Joint Operations
Mr. Robert Peach, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1682 to 1683
Charles William Peach (1800-1886), British naturalist and geologist from Wansford, Northamptonshire
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Peach family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Robert James Peach (1872-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 15

HMS Repulse

Mr. Howard Peach, British Leading Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Baring-Gould S., Family Names and their Story. London: Seeley, Service & Co. Limited, 1913. Print
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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 14th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY LILFORD 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839LadyLilford.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The INDIAN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Indian.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html