Map of England showing where the Pearsall arms are recorded
The Pearsall arms were recorded in Gloucester, c. 1620.
Gloucestershire had good farmland, a cloth trade in its valleys and a river carrying goods to Bristol. All three made money, and money bought the estates that brought arms with them.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Pearsall arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Gloucester.
Origin & History of the Pearsall Family in England
The Pearsall family name is believed to have originated in England, where it functioned as a locative surname derived from a specific place. Linguists suggest the name likely refers to a person who lived near a pear orchard or a field of pear trees, as the term combines the Old English words for pear and a fenced enclosure or clearing. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the city of Gloucester. Records confirm that members of the Pearsall family were living in this region by 1620, a time when many English families were beginning to look toward the American colonies for new opportunities. This early connection to Gloucester highlights the family's deep roots in the English landscape before their eventual migration across the Atlantic, where they became part of the early colonial population.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Pirus
Latin term for a pear tree.
This name
PearsallA topographical name for someone who lived near a pear tree or orchard.
also spelled
Persall
Pearsell
Pearsoll
Related arms
Persallvariant spelling
Pershallvariant spelling
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain, 1890
The National Archives, Kew, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
wolfReward from long service and hard work
cross symbolChristian faith and service
wolfReward from long service and hard work
