Show ContentsPelgrave History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Pelgrave comes from the family having resided in the region of Palgrave in various counties throughout England. Pelgrave 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 Pelgrave family

The surname Pelgrave was first found in Suffolk at Palgrave, a village and civil parish that dates back to 962 when it was listed as Palegrave. By the Domesday Book of 1086 the village's name evolved to Palegraua which was listed there at that time. 1 Great Palgrave in Norfolk has a similar entry in the Domesday Book but this entry is the first listing and therefore it is presumed a more recent village. The place name literally means "grove where the poles are got" from the Old English "pal + "graf" or "grove or a man called Paga" from the Old English personal name + "graf." 2

Early History of the Pelgrave family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pelgrave research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1480, 1525 and 1554 are included under the topic Early Pelgrave History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pelgrave Spelling Variations

Pelgrave 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. Spelling variants included: Palgrave, Palgrove and others.

Early Notables of the Pelgrave family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Palsgrave (c.1480-1554), an English priest of Henry VIII of England's court. In 1525, he was appointed tutor to Henry's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy. The expression...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pelgrave Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pelgrave family

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 Pelgraves to arrive on North American shores: Richard Palgrave, his wife Anne and their three daughters Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary, who arrived in Charlestown, MA in 1630.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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