Show ContentsPelgraves History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Pelgraves is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in the region of Palgrave in various counties throughout England. Pelgraves 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 Pelgraves family

The surname Pelgraves 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 Pelgraves family

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

Pelgraves Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Pelgraves has been spelled many different ways, including Palgrave, Palgrove and others.

Early Notables of the Pelgraves 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 Pelgraves Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pelgraves family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Pelgravess to arrive in North America: 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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