Pitchers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Pitchers is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. It 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. Pitchers 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 Pitchers family

The surname Pitchers 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 Pitchers family

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

Pitchers Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Pitcher, Picher, Pichere and others.

Early Notables of the Pitchers family

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

Migration of the Pitchers family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Pitchers 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.

The Pitchers 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