Show ContentsPersaud History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Persaud was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Persaud family lived in Staffordshire, at Pearsall, from whence they took their name. "The family are of Norman origin, having been founded, at the place referred to, by Robert, a follower of Robert of Stafford, early in the reign of the Conqueror. He was son of Gilbert, son of Richard, Count of Corbeil in Normandy." 1

Early Origins of the Persaud family

The surname Persaud was first found in Staffordshire where they held an estate now known as Pearshall, Peshale or Pershall. 2

Robert Fitz Gilbert de Corbeil, acquired the manor of Peshale, and his son Robert was the first to begin calling himself de Peshale after the name of this manor. 3

Another early record was found in the "Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I." which listed Thomas de Peshale, Staffordshire. 4

Early History of the Persaud family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Persaud research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1341, 1374, 1376, 1531, 1539, 1629, 1633, 1634, 1653, 1670, 1676, 1696, 1702, 1795 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Persaud History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Persaud Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Pearsall, Pershall, Persall, Parsil, Parcell, Parcel and many more.

Early Notables of the Persaud family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Persall (1633-1702), alias Harcourt, English Jesuit, born in Staffordshire in 1633, from of an ancient Catholic family there, vice-provincial of England in 1696. He entered the...
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Persaud Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Persaud Ranking

In the United States, the name Persaud is the 5,807th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Persaud is ranked the 862nd most popular surname with an estimated 6,178 people with that name. 6


United States Persaud migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Persaud or a variant listed above:

Persaud Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Bindrabun Persaud, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Georgetown, British Guiana, in 1920
  • Shaunnie Persaud, aged 17, who landed in America from Georgetown, Demerara, B. Guiana, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Persaud (post 1700) +

  • Mark D. Persaud (b. 1966), American businessman and lawyer, President of Qwest Records from 1997–1999
  • Nikhil Persaud, contemporary English professional poker player from London
  • Bernadette Indira Persaud (b. 1946), Guyanese painter
  • Sasenarine Persaud, Canadian essayist, novelist, short story writer, and poet
  • Lakshmi Persaud (b. 1939), Caribbean novelist, born in Trinidad and Tobago


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. 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
  4. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames


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