Prittowe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Prittowe family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Cornwall, at Prideaux, from whence they derived their name.

Early Origins of the Prittowe family

The surname Prittowe was first found in Cornwall, home to Prideaux Castle, an Iron Age hillfort near St Blazey and Prideaux Place, a country house near Padstow that has been in the Prideaux-Brune family for over 400 years. They family trace their descent from Paganus, lord of Prideaux Castle, in Luxulion in the time of William I. 1

"The manor of Treslothan, [Camborne] upon which estate there are some remains of an ancient chapel, was in moieties between the families of Prideaux and Arundell, in the early part of the seventeenth century." 2

"The ancient family of Prideaux can trace their pedigree up to the period of the Norman Conquest, at which time Paganus was lord of Prideaux. Of the elder branch of this family, the last male heir died about the year 1490. When this event took place, the heiress carried Prideaux Castle in Luxulian, to the Herles of West Herle in Northumberland. At this time a younger branch of the Prideaux family settled at Orchardon in Devonshire; and of this branch a younger son settled at Thuborough, from whom sprang a still younger branch that took up their abode at Padstow, so early as the days of Henry VIII. From this ancestor has descended the Rev. Charles Prideaux, who has taken the additional name of Brune, pursuant to the will of his great uncle Charles Brune, Esq. the last male heir of an ancient baronial family of Plumber in Dorsetshire." 2

Continuing our quest in nearby Devon: "In the reign of Elizabeth the manor [of Sidmouth] was leased to Sir William Perryan, and in that of James I. to Sir Christopher Mainwaring; it was subsequently sold to Sir Edmond Prideaux, with the exception of the great tithes, which were given to Wadham College, and now belong to the Rev. William Jenkins, the incumbent. The manor was purchased from Sir Wilmot Prideaux by Thomas Jenkins, Esq." 3

Early History of the Prittowe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Prittowe research. Another 197 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1578, 1590, 1596, 1602, 1606, 1622, 1626, 1629, 1640, 1641, 1647, 1648, 1650, 1659, 1667, 1675, 1682, 1695, 1705, 1720, 1724, 1729 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Prittowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Prittowe Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Prideaux, Prideux and others.

Early Notables of the Prittowe family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Prideaux D.D. (1578-1650), an English academic and Bishop of Worcester; Sir Peter Prideaux, 2nd Baronet (1596-1682); Sir Peter Prideaux, 3rd Baronet (1626-1705); Sir Edmund Prideaux, 4th Baronet (1647-1720); Sir Edmund Prideaux, 5th Baronet (1675-1729); Sir John Prideaux, 6th Baronet (1695-1766); Richard Prideaux (1606-1667), an English politician who...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Prittowe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Prittowe family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Prittowe or a variant listed above were: Nicholas Prideaux who settled in Barbados in 1678; with his servants, wife and child.

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.