Palgrave Family History & Genealogy

Summary

A main branch of the Palgrave family originated in England and is probably named after the village of Palgrave in Suffolk. Branches of the Palgrave family now reside in the United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand. The History and Lineage of the Palgraves is a  book by Derek Palgrave and Patrick Palgrave-Moore which was published by the Palgrave Society in 1978. Copies are available in major libraries in the United Kingdom and the United States. The Palgrave Society also publishes a quarterly Newsletter which is available to members. Further details are available on the Society's website, www.ffhs.org.uk/members/palgrave.htm

History

The surname Palgrave is derived from the village of Palgrave which is in Suffolk, England, on the south bank of the River Waveney opposite the town of Diss in Norfolk, England. A main branch of the Palgrave family originated in England and is probably named after the village of Palgrave in Suffolk. Branches of the Palgrave family now reside in the United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand. The History and Lineage of the Palgraves is a  book by Derek Palgrave and Patrick Palgrave-Moore which was published by the Palgrave Society in 1978. Copies are available in major libraries in the United Kingdom and the United States. The Palgrave Society also publishes a quarterly Newsletter which is available to members. Further details are available on the Society's website, www.ffhs.org.uk/members/palgrave.htm

Name Origin

The general view of the the meaning of Palgrave is that it is taken from the village which includes a grove where there were trees from which poles or pales were cut.  Coppicing was an important activity in the middle ages to create a continuous supply of topwood for construction purposes and for fuel, including charcoal.

Spellings & Pronunciations

Several variants of the surname Palgrave have been identified:-  Pagrave, Palgrave, Pelgrave, Pedgrave, Pedgrift, Palsgrave, Palsgrove.  An extended list appears on the Palgrave Society Website. 

Nationality & Ethnicity

Palgrave is a village in Suffolk, England .   There is also a hamlet called Palgrave near the village of Sporle in Norfolk. In earlier times it was called Pagrave (sic) and a family from there, spelling its name as Pagrave settled in Norwich and then moved on to North Barningham near Sheringham where they resided until the mid 18th century. Palgrave is essentially a name from East Anglia but, during the Great Migration in the 17th century, Richard Palgrave and his family settled in New England.  There were other migrants to the U.S.A. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Bearers of the German surname, Pfalzgraf, emigrated to the U.S.A. in the 19th century.
Palgraves and Pelgraves are now resident in Australia and New Zealand

Famous People named Palgrave

Famous members of the Palgrave family:

Francis Turner Palgrave is probably the most famous Palgrave family member because he compiled a selection of songs and lyrical poems in the English language which was first published in 1861. This collection is still in print.

Early Palgraves

These are the earliest records we have of the Palgrave family.