The Pedregon history begins in Cornwall
, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England
. Quite distinct from Devon
, the adjoining county, Cornwall
had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Pedregon history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames
arose is interesting. Local
surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic
names, the Cornish predominantly used local
surnames. The Pedregon family originally lived in Cornwall, at the manor of Pengelly.
The family claim descent from "an estate in the parish of St. Neot in Cornwall, anciently the property of the family." CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. CITATION[CLOSE]
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Literally the place name means "the head of the grove," from "pen-gilly, -gelly. CITATION[CLOSE]
Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
"There is a hamlet of the name in St. Teath. The Pengellys are now mostly found around Penzance, and the Pengillys around Helston." CITATION[CLOSE]
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Early Origins of the Pedregon family
The surname Pedregon was first found in Cornwall
at Pengelly (Cornish: Penn-gelli), a hamlet now part of the village of Delabole.
The first record of the family was found here: John (de) Pengelly in 1297. CITATION[CLOSE]
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Early History of the Pedregon family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pedregon research.Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1650, 1696, 1675, 1730, 1722, 1727 and 1726 are included under the topic Early Pedregon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Pedregon Spelling Variations
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations
. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England
, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations
often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall
and the rest of England
. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic
language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Pengelly, Pengley, Pengelley and others.
Early Notables of the Pedregon family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Pengelly ( fl.
c.1650-1696), a wealthy British merchant who traded with the Eastern Mediterranean and the Atlantic Seaboard; he owned property in the East End of London, as well as... Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pedregon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Pedregon family to the New World and Oceana
Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Pedregon or a variant listed above: Richard Pengelly settled in Philadelphia in 1858; John Pengley settled in Barstable Massachusetts in 1822.
Contemporary Notables of the name Pedregon (post 1700)
- Cruz Pedregon (b. 1963), American two-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion, brother of Tony Pedregon
- Tony Pedregon (b. 1965), American two-time NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Funny Car Champion, brother of Cruz Pedregon
Pedregon Family Crest Products
- ^ Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- ^ Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- ^ Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
- ^ Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- ^ Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)