Peckes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Peckes

What does the name Peckes mean?

Peckes is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Peckes family lived in Denbighshire. The surname of Peck derives from the Old English word pekke, indicating the top of a mountain or hill, and was a local name distinguishing a person who lived by a prominent peak.

Early Origins of the Peckes family

The surname Peckes was first found in Essex where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Peckes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Peckes research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1390, 1400, 1692 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Peckes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Peckes Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Peckes are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Peckes include Peck, Pecke and others.

Early Notables of the Peckes family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Peckes Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Peckes family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Peckes, or a variant listed above: Richard Peck, his wife Jane and eight children settled in Halifax Nova Scotia in 1775; Robert Peck settled in Boston in 1638; Thomas Peck settled in Barbados in 1634.