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Peebles History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Peebles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Peebles was first used as a surname by descendants of the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The ancestors of the Peebles family lived in the town of Peebles in the county of the same name. The name is occasionally derived from residence in the lands called Peebles near St. Vigeans in the county of Angus. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Peebles family

The surname Peebles was first found in Peeblesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd nam Pùballan), former county in South-central Scotland, in the present day Scottish Borders Council Area, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

One of the first on record was Sir Robert Peebles who was Chamberlain of Scotland in 1328, followed by John Peebles, Archdeacon of St. Andrews and Chancellor of Scotland in 1384. "Symon de Pebles made a donation of the land of Quilt in the sheriffdom of Peebles in 1328 and John de Peblys was master of the Hospital of Peebles in 1362. Another John de Peblis was burgess of Edinburgh in 1368, and a third John de Peblys was archdeacon of St. Andrews in 1378 and chancellor of Scotland in 1384 (CAB., p. 233; Bain, rv, 322). William of Pebylls, Scottish merchant, had a safe conduct in England, 1446 (Bain, rv, 1187), Magister David Peblis was charter witness in Dunfermline, 1483 (RD., p. 372), Johannes Peblis witnessed a charter by the abbot of Scone to William Peblis, 1491 (Scon, p. 201), and Henry Pebles alias Peblys of Southampton, late of Edinburgh in Scotland, had a protection in 1495 (Bain, rv, 1609). John Peblis was witness in Perth, 1546 ( (Rollok, 12). Sir Bernard Peblis was vicar of Inchynnan in 1555 (Protocols, i), John Peblis was procurator to William, master of Ruthven, 1564 (Scon, 231), another John Peblis was burgess of Irvine in 1590 (Irvine, i, p. 64), and Robert Peiblis was bailie of Irving in 1634 (Inquis., 2054). A family of this name held land of the Abbey of Scone in fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and the family of Peebles of Broomlands in Cunningham were old landed proprietors. " 4

Early History of the Peebles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peebles research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1559, 1560, 1579, 1631, 1669 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Peebles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peebles Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Peebles has appeared Peebles, Peebes, Peebbes, Peeples, Peoples and many more.

Early Notables of the Peebles family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

David Peebles (died 1579?), a Scottish composer of religious music...

Peebles Ranking

In the United States, the name Peebles is the 3,321^st most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Peebles family to Ireland

Some of the Peebles family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 140 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peebles migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Peebles:

Peebles Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliza Peebles, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 6

Peebles Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Anabella Peebles, aged 5, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 6
Ann Peebles, aged 37, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 6
John Peebles, aged 43, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 6
Margaret Peebles, aged 14, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 6
Mary Jane Peebles, who arrived in New York, NY in 1804 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peebles migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Peebles Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Hugh Peebles, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1774
Mr. Charles Peebles U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1789 served in the Wagon Department 7

Peebles migration to Australia +

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

Peebles Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Hance Peebles, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Robert Peebles, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Agamemnon" on April 22, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. George Dowie Peebles, (b. 1813), aged 18, Scottish nail maker who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. William Peebles, (b. 1815), aged 17, Scottish weaver who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11
Archibald Peebles, aged 29, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "John Bunyan" 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Peebles 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:

Peebles Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Peter Peebles, (b. 1814), aged 48, Scottish ploughman, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
Mrs. Rebecca Peebles, (b. 1819), aged 43, Scottish settler, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
Mr. Andrew Peebles, (b. 1841), aged 21, Scottish ploughman, from Forfarshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
Miss Ann (Annie) Peebles, (b. 1843), aged 19, Scottish dairymaid, born in Perthshire, Scotland travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
Mr. James Peebles, (b. 1851), aged 11, Scottish settler, from Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Peebles (post 1700) +

Ann Peebles (b. 1947), American singer, best known for her songs "I Can't Stand the Rain" and "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down"
Melvin "Block" Van Peebles (b. 1932), American actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, novelist and composer
Mario Van Peebles (b. 1957), American film director and actor, son of film-maker Melvin Van Peebles
Sarah Peebles, American-born, Toronto-based composer
Robert Hibbs Peebles (1900-1956), American botanist and agronomist for the United States Department of Agriculture, posthumously awarded the Superior Service award and medal by the USDA
Roy Donahue “Don” Peebles (b. 1960), American real estate entrepreneur, author and political activist
James McAden "Jim" Peebles (1920-1997), American NFL football tight end
Phillip James Edwin "Jim" Peebles (b. 1935), Canadian-born American physicist and theoretical cosmologist, the Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus of Science at Princeton University
Curtis Peebles, American aerospace historian for the Smithsonian Institution
Calvert Goosley Peebles (b. 1870), American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Jackson, North Carolina 1893-94; Member of North Carolina State Senate 3rd District, 1913-14 14
... (Another 18 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
South Australian Register Wednesday 24th May 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Bunyan 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/johnbunyan1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html