Show ContentsPackart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Packart

What does the name Packart mean?

The Packart family saga is rooted in the people of the Pictish Clan of ancient Scotland. The Packart family lived in Picardy, a region of northern France. Bearers of the name made their way from Picardy and were "pike men" to England and Scotland. 1 2

Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the word "pic" or "pick," which is a Teutonic word for "hard" or "brave." 3

Not all of the family emigrated to ancient England and Scotland as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed Ralph, Engeram, Richard, Peter, Geoffry and Walter Picard in Normandy 1180-95. 4

"There is a Robert Pichard of about the same date to be found in the Rotuli Curiæ Regis, and the family is said to have been settled in Herefordshire during the preceding century. “That part of Ocle called Ocle Pichard derived its additional name from a family holding it soon after the Norman Conquest. Roger Pichard is mentioned in the Book of Fees made in the reign of Henry III. as holding of the honour of Webbeley." 5

Early Origins of the Packart family

The surname Packart was first found in Moray, where one of the first records of the family was Hugh Picard, who was a canon of Moray in 1266. A few years later, Stephen Pykard, was a knight of Gilbert de Umfraville, earl of Angus in 1279 and later still, John Pikard was juror on an inquest held at St. Andrews in 1302. Adam le Pycard was a Scottish prisoner of war from Stirling confined in Restormel Castle in 1305. Sir Patrick Picarde was rector of Torry in 1350. 6

Further to the south, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Alan Pichard in Yorkshire; Stephen Picard in Northumberland; Nicholas Pichard, in Shropshire; and Roger Pichard in Cambridgeshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Emma Picard and Ricardus Picard as both holding lands there at that time. 7

"Miles Picard was uninterruptedly Sheriff of Herefordshire from 1300 to 1306, and twice served as knight of the shire. It was he who, according to Nash, gave its name to Sapy-Pychard in Worcestershire, which he held of Stuteville. Roger Picard, probably his son, was Sheriff in 1318 and 1327, and must have been the last of the name at Ode Pychard, where Peter de Clavenhogh (Clanowe), who succeeded him, had a grant of free warren in 1334. Another Picard served as Sheriff in 1348 and 1349; and in 1356 Sir Henry Picard, Vintner and Lord Mayor of London, gave a great banquet in honour of the battle of Poitiers, at which both the Black Prince and his Royal captive were present. At a second and still more august entertainment, of even greater splendour, he feasted four crowned heads his own Sovereign, and the Kings of France, Scotland, and Cyprus, with a great assemblage of the nobles of the realm. ' And after,' says Stowe, ' the said Henry Picard kept his hall against all comers whosoever that were willing to play at dice and hazard.' " 5

Early History of the Packart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Packart research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1350, 1430, 1436 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Packart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Packart Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Packart include Pickard, Picard and others.

Early Notables of the Packart family

Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Packart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Packart family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Packart: Aaron Picard arrived in Philadelphia in 1869; Cyrus, Josiah, Nathaniel and William Picard settled in Philadelphia in 1852.



  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  4. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  5. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook