Picher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Germany

Etymology of Picher

What does the name Picher mean?

The name Picher reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Picher family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Picher is a name for a caulker, one who was employed to seal the hulls of ships with pitch. Another derivation of this name suggests that it originated as a variation on the Norman French personal name Pichere. Picher is a classic example of an English polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

Early Origins of the Picher family

The surname Picher was first found in Buckinghamshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Picher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Picher research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Picher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Picher 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 Pitcher, Picher, Pichere and others.

Early Notables of the Picher family

More information is included under the topic Early Picher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Picher family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Picher or a variant listed above: Thomas Pitcher, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Andrew Pitcher, who came to Dorchester, MA in 1641; Mary Pitcher, who arrived in Virginia in 1650; John Pitcher who settled in Virginia in 1653.

Contemporary Notables of the name Picher (post 1700) +

John Picher (b. 1972), American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Vermont, 1936
Arthur G. Picher, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Kennebec County (2nd), 1931-32

The Picher 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: Perseverentia et labore
Motto Translation: By perseverance and labour