Peshal History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of PeshalWhat does the name Peshal mean? When the ancestors of the Peshal family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Staffordshire, at Pearsall, from whence they took their name. "The family are of Norman origin, having been founded, at the place referred to, by Robert, a follower of Robert of Stafford, early in the reign of the Conqueror. He was son of Gilbert, son of Richard, Count of Corbeil in Normandy." 1 Early Origins of the Peshal familyThe surname Peshal was first found in Staffordshire where they held an estate now known as Pearshall, Peshale or Pershall. 2 Robert Fitz Gilbert de Corbeil, acquired the manor of Peshale, and his son Robert was the first to begin calling himself de Peshale after the name of this manor. 3 Another early record was found in the "Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I." which listed Thomas de Peshale, Staffordshire. 4 Early History of the Peshal familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peshal research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1341, 1374, 1376, 1531, 1539, 1629, 1633, 1634, 1653, 1670, 1676, 1696, 1702, 1795 and 1856 are included under the topic Early Peshal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Peshal Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Peshal have been found, including Pearsall, Pershall, Persall, Parsil, Parcell, Parcel and many more. Early Notables of the Peshal familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was John Persall (1633-1702), alias Harcourt, English Jesuit, born in Staffordshire in 1633, from of an ancient Catholic family there, vice-provincial of England in 1696. He entered the... Migration of the Peshal familyFor many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Peshal were among those contributors: Jonas Parshall, who settled in Virginia in 1620; Thomas Pearsall, who arrived in Virginia in 1631; Henry Pearsall, who arrived in Long Island in 1657.
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