Pilchard History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Pilchard was first found in Sussex, England where Mabilia Pullchare was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1214. In the same rolls, but later in 1271, Henry Pilchere was listed in Cambridgeshire. Henry le Pilchere was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1275 and Nicholas le Pilchere was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had the following entries, all found in Cambridgeshire: Hugh le Pilecher; Nicholas Pilchere; and Ralph Pilkere. 5

Another researcher notes: "Swingfield church, a century ago, contained several memorials to members of the family of Pilcher, who were tenants of St. John's. Last century there flourished a New Romney family of this name, a member of which, Stephen Pilcher, gent., who died in 1768, was four times bailiff of the Marsh (H.). The names of Pilcher and Pilchere occurred in Cambridgeshire in the reign of Edward I." 7

In Scotland, the predominate spelling used was Pilche. "A family of this name were prominent in Inverness in the end of the thirteenth and beginning of the fourteenth century. Patrick Pylche, juror on an inquest in Lanarkshire, 1263, is however, the first of the name recorded in Scotland. Alexander Pilche, burgess of Inverness, was one of the leading adherents in the North of Wallace and Bruce, and joined the insurrection of Andrew of Moray, 1297 (Barron, Scottish War of Independence, passim). Alexander Pylche was prepositus of the burgh of Inuernys in 1327 (ER., I, p. 59), William Pylche held land there in 1361." 8