Pinfold History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Pinfold is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a keeper of the pound where animals were sheltered. Pinfold was an area where stray animals were rounded up if their owners failed to properly supervise their use of common grazing land as in "a pound or pen for sheep and cattle, sometimes called a pin-fold or pound-fold-a manorial holding for trespassing animals." 1

Early Origins of the Pinfold family

The surname Pinfold was first found in Essex where the name was originally recorded as Panfield, a location name in the Domesday Book. 2 Pancevold, was a tenant in chief; and Pancefolt, under-tenant at time of Survey. 3

While Essex, was the first mention of the family, we must look to Sussex to see the lion's share of the entries years later. Here, Thomas ate Pundfolde was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1296 and a few years later, John Pennefold was found in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332. In Suffolk, Richard and Henry Pynfoul was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for 1327. 4

"Penfold or Pennifold is an old Sussex name. Stephen Penfold was twice mayor of Chichester in the reign of Charles II., and the name is still in the town; at that time the Penfolds held large estates in the parish of Angmering: Hugh Penfold owned the Cissbury estate, Findon, in 1794." 5

Down in Devon, the "B" prefix was often substituted as in John Bynford who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1642 and in this case the family called Binneford in Crediton, in Sandford their home. 4

Early History of the Pinfold family

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

Pinfold Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Pinfold include Penfold, Penfield, Pinfold and others.

Early Notables of the Pinfold family

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

Pinfold migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Pinfold were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Pinfold Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Elizabeth Pinfold and her husband, who settled in Virginia in 1660

Pinfold Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Pinfold, who settled in Maryland in 1727

Pinfold Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Zephaniah Pinfold, who landed in New York in 1831 6

Pinfold Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Wm. F Pinfold, aged 1, who immigrated to the United States from Bridling, England, in 1907
Rose Pinfold, aged 42, who landed in America from Leicester, England, in 1910
Albert Pinfold, aged 41, who landed in America from Leicester, England, in 1910
Florence Pinfold, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Leicester, England, in 1910
John Pinfold, aged 18, who settled in America, in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pinfold migration to Australia +

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

Pinfold Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Pinfold, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. David Pinfold, (Penfold), (b. 1813), aged 23, English shepherd who was convicted in Suffolk, England for life for theft, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 4th August 1836, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. William Pinfold, English convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9

Pinfold migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Pinfold Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Joseph Pinfold, aged 46, a baker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Mary Pinfold, aged 39, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Matilda Pinfold, aged 12, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Joseph Pinfold, aged 11, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Charles Pinfold, aged 7, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell