Show ContentsPlowdend History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Plowdend family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Plowden, a hamlet in the parish of Lydbury North, Shropshire. The local dates back to 1252 when it was first listed as Plaueden and literally means "valley where play or sport takes place," from the Old English words "plaga" + "denu." 1

Early Origins of the Plowdend family

The surname Plowdend was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Plowden. Traditionally, they held these estates at the time of the Norman Conquest, but the first record is of Sir Roger Plowden who accompanied King Richard on his Crusade to the Holy Land and was present at the siege of Acre (1191). For his gallantry he was awarded by the King an augmentation of two fleur-des-lys on his Coat of Arms, a distinction the family has borne ever since. 2 "The name occurs upon all county records from the reign of Henry III." 2

Early History of the Plowdend family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Plowdend research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1518, 1562, 1585, 1590, 1594, 1632, 1649, 1659, 1664 and 1829 are included under the topic Early Plowdend History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Plowdend Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Plowdend include Plowden, Plowdon, Ploughden, Ploweden, Plough and many more.

Early Notables of the Plowdend family

Distinguished members of the family include Edmund Plowden (1518-1585), a distinguished English lawyer, legal scholar and Member of Parliament, he was born at Plowden Hall, Lydbury, Shropshire; Thomas Plowden (1594-1664), an English Jesuit from Oxfordshire; Sir Edmund Plowden (1590-1659), grandson of the aforementioned Edmund was...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Plowdend Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Plowdend family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Plowdend or a variant listed above: Edmund Plowden, and Evelin Plowden, who came to Virginia in 1632; Thomas Plowden, who settled in Maryland in 1684; John Plowden, who arrived in Virginia in 1704.



The Plowdend 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: Quod tibi, hoc alteri
Motto Translation: That is for thee, not the other.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.


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