Pestell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Pestell is an early Norman name that was originally given to a person who used 'an instrument for pounding things in a mortar', 'pestle'. "Probably for a user of this instrument, a compounder of drugs, a spicer." 1

The name is derived from the Middle English word pestel and the Old French word pestel.

In Normandy the first record of the family was found in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae which listed N. Pestoil there 1180-95. 2

Early Origins of the Pestell family

The surname Pestell was first found in Shropshire where Robert Pestel was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1221. A few years later, Nicholas Pestel was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1246. And later again, Symon Pystel was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. Kyn Pestell was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1260. 1

Not withstanding the aforementioned, the family rose to distinction in Leicestershire in early days where both Coat of Arms were recorded. Both are essentially the same with the latter record in 1648 of a William Pestell, a mate of Captain Jones in a ship of war "descended from an ancient family in the county of Leicester." 3

Early History of the Pestell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pestell research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1115, 1279, 1455, 1487, 1584, 1613 and 1659 are included under the topic Early Pestell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pestell Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Pestell, Pestel, Pistol, Pestol, Pestoll, Pistoll, Pestall, Pestal, Pester, Pestor, Pistor and many more.

Early Notables of the Pestell family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Pestell (1584-1659), English divine, educated at Queens' College, Cambridge...

Pestell migration to Australia +

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

Pestell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Pestell, (b. 1797), aged 19, English convict who was convicted in Hertfordshire, England for life for felony, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Mr. Joseph Pestell, English convict who was convicted in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
James Pestell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Bengal" in 1850 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Pestell (post 1700) +

Richard G. Pestell AO FACP FRACP FRCPI, Australian-born, American oncologist and endocrinologist, Distinguished Professor, Translational Medical Research, and the President of the Pennsylvania Cancer and Regenerative Medicine Research Center at the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute
Richard G Pestell, American physician currently employed as Director of the Kimmel Cancer Center
Kenneth Frederick Pestell (b. 1931), former English first-class cricketer from Edmonton, Middlesex
Sir John Pestell, Private Secretary and Comptroller to the Governor of Southern Rhodesia 1965-1969
Reginald Alfred Pestell CBE (b. 1910), Baron Wells-Pestell, birth name of Reginald Alfred Wells-Pestell, a British social worker and Labour Party politician

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Burke, Sir Bernard, C.B. LL.D The General Armory of England Scotland, Ireland and Wales. London: Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, 1884, Print.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BENGAL 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Bengal.gif