The ancestors of the Percivile family brought their name to
England in the wave of migration after the
Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in
Somerset. The name, however, is a reference to one of two towns named
Percevill, in Calvados,
Normandy, where the family lived prior to the
Norman Conquest of
England in 1066.
Early Origins of the Percivile family
The surname Percivile was first found in
Somerset. "Robert, Lord of Breherval, in
Normandy, and his son Ascelin Gouel de Percival, both fought under the Norman banner at Hastings, and both obtained many extensive manors in the conquered country. "
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Percivile family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Percivile research.
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1089, 1661 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Percivile History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Percivile Spelling Variations
Before the last few
hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Percivile were recorded, including Perceval, Percival, Percevale, Percivall and others.
Early Notables of the Percivile family (pre 1700)
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Percivile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Percivile family to Ireland
Some of the Percivile family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Percivile family to the New World and Oceana
The unstable environment in
England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like
Ireland,
Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Percivile arrived in North America very early: Thomas Percival settled in Barbados in 1694; Thomas and Mary Percivall settled in Virginia in 1663; Henry and Elizabeth Percival settled in Virginia in 1654..
The Percivile Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Sub cruce candida
Motto Translation: Under the white cross.