Contents [hide]

Pulham History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Pulham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Pulham family

The surname Pulham was first found in Middlesex at Fulham, a parish, in the union of Kensington, Kensington division of the hundred of Ossulstone. "Fulham is a spot of considerable antiquity: the Danes, on their invasion of England, fixed their head-quarters here, in 879; and, after wintering in the place, set sail for Flanders in the spring." 1

This ancient Saxon parish was first listed as Fulanham (c. 705) and then later as Fuleham in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Literally the place name means "land in a river-bend of a man called Fulla" from the Old English personal name + "hamm." 3

Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Fulham, held by Fulcred who held the lands from the Bishop of London and who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.

Early History of the Pulham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pulham research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1294, 1393, 1412, 1519, 1633, 1651, 1660, 1682, 1691, 1694, 1699, 1702, 1749, 1750, 1777 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Pulham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pulham Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Fullem, Fullam, Fulham and others.

Early Notables of the Pulham family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Richard Pulham, English Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University (1393-1412.) Edward Fulham...

Migration of the Pulham family to Ireland

Some of the Pulham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pulham migration to the United States +

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Pulham name or one of its variants:

Pulham Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Florence Pulham, aged 24, who settled in America, in 1894
Geo.M. Pulham, aged 54, who landed in America, in 1894

Pulham Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Margaret Pulham, aged 22, who landed in America from Belfast, in 1902
Wilford Walter Pulham, aged 6, who landed in America from London, in 1903
Edith Annie Pulham, aged 33, who landed in America from Peckham Rye, in 1906
Arthur Pulham, aged 34, who settled in America from Tooting, England, in 1909
Minnie Pulham, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1912
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pulham migration to Australia +

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

Pulham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Pulham, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Duncan" on 10th December 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Thomas Pulham, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Caroline Agnes" in 1850 5

Pulham 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:

Pulham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Mary Pulham, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1849 6
Miss Ellen Pulham, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1849 6
Miss Lavinia Pulham, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1849 6
Miss Maria Pulham, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston aboard the ship "Marys" arriving in New Zealand in 1849 6
Miss Harriet Pulham, (b. 1842), aged 16, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Pulham (post 1700) +

James Pulham (1820-1898), English landscaper, inventor of Pulhamite, a patented anthropic rock; son of James Pulham Sr
James Pulham (1793-1838), English landscape gardener from Woodbridge, Suffolk, founder of James Pulham and Son who won medals at London's Great Exhibition of 1851 and the 1862 International Exhibition

Historic Events for the Pulham family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Edward George Montague Pulham (1918-1941), Australian Acting Leading Stoker from Claremont, Western Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 7

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duncan
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CAROLINE AGNES 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850CarolineAgnes-Hydaspe%20RegisterOct15.gif
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp