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Where did the English Poor family come from? What is the English Poor family crest and coat of arms? When did the Poor family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Poor family history?Poor is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Poor family lived in Devon. Their name, however, is a reference to one of two places, Picardy, France, or Puers, Belgium, either of which could have been the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. At this time those who gailed from Picardy were referred to as Pohiers, and it was in this form that the name was probably first brought to England.
Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Poor, Poher, Poer, Poore and others.
First found in Devon 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.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Poor research. Another 253 words(18 lines of text) covering the years 1100 and 1172 are included under the topic Early Poor History in all our PDF Extended History products.
Another 75 words(5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Poor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.
Some of the Poor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 43 words(3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products.
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Poor or a variant listed above:
Poor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Poor Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Poor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Poor Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
Poor Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Pauper non in spe
Motto Translation: Not poor in hope.
The Poor Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Poor Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
This page was last modified on 15 June 2013 at 20:23.
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