Perkins
is one of the most notable surnames from the European genealogical
research of Anglo/Saxon surnames, and its historical trail has emerged
from the mists of time as an influential surname of the middle ages.
This essay is intended to document the facts of the origin of the name and
its recorded migration into the Americas. It is by no means a source
of genealogical information on every branch of the Perkins family line.
There have been numerous publications (The best of which are given at the
end of this piece) which cover this subject and to do so here would
produce a voluminous piece of redundant work. The writer's purpose was to
clear up some of the errors, omissions, folklore and stories, which were
uncovered during a search for family history. It is left up to every
reader's judgment to accept or discount any genealogical research, as it
is not a perfect science rather individual interpretation .It should be
noted at the beginning that the original spelling of the name was not
Perkins. Confusing to most, the name was originally deMorlaix as the
manuscripts of this time period were, most always, written in Latin or
French. The later translators Anglicized the name from deMorlaix to
Morley.
In future generations the Perkins (deMorlaix/Morley) name was spelt
Pierrekin, Pierkyn, and Perkyn. These changes occurred between father and
sons and the reasons are varied, as will be explained.
Not until the late 14th century did the spelling take
on the now accepted form. For the sake of uniformity this fact will be
assumed and references made to the current spelling, Perkins.
Research of ancient manuscripts, which include the
Doomsday Book by Duke William of Normandy in 1086 A.D., the Ragman Rolls
of 1291-1296 authorized by King Edward 1st of England, the Curia Regis
Rolls, The Pipe Rolls and The Hearth Rolls of England, found the first
record of the name Perkins in Leicestershire, England. The name
Perkins, in one form or another (i.e.: deMorlaix/Morley), first appears on
the census rolls taken by the Kings of England beginning about 400 A.D.
The family name Perkins is one of the most distinguished of the ancient
world during a time of Kingdoms, Kings and Knights. If we are to
believe Bede, the Chronicler of the Saxons, this founding race of England
was led by the Saxon General/Commanders Hengist and Horsa and settled in
Kent during this time and was a Anglo/Saxon race. However, there is
evidence to support the claim that the name is of Celtic/Welsh origin.
Based on British history we know that after the last Roman Legions left
the continent in the early part of the 5th century the Saxons, Angles and
other Low German tribes settled in Southeastern England around Kent.
However, the Ancient Britons (Celtics) were the true natives of the area
and it is an amalgamation of the Angles, Saxons and Celtic Britons who
became what we refer to today as the Anglo/Saxons. The truth is that
the Angles and Saxons may have "moved in", but the Britons were
there in far greater numbers, thus accounting for the claim that the blood
line is far more Celtic than any other. Therefore it should be
concluded that the origins of the Perkins "Clan" are
Celtic/Welsh.
The Anglo/Saxon five-century domination of English society was an
uncertain time and the nation divided into five separate kingdoms.
By 1066 King Harold had come to the throne of England and was enjoying
reasonable peace and prosperity. However, the invasion from France
and their victory at the Battle of Hastings, found many Englishmen moving.
By the 13th century the family name Perkins emerged as a notable English
family in the county of Leicester, where they were recorded as a family of
great antiquity seated as Lords of the manor and estates in that
shire. They had branched to Ufton Court in Berkshire and Sutton
Coldfield in Warwickshire, later branching to Nuneaton, Marston and
Hillmorton, Warwickshire. The main stem of the family continued at
Orton Hall in Leicestershire, where it remains to this day. Notable
amongst the family at this time was Perkins of Leicester. For the
next two or three centuries bearers of the surname Perkins flourished and
played a significant role in the political development of England.
It is at this point where we pick up the story of the present day
Perkins. The last generation to use the original spelling of Morlaix
in or around 1331 was the family of one Pierre de Morlaix of Shropshire,
England. He appears to have been born 1312 in Bretagne, Morliax,
Normandy, France and died about 1384 in Shropshire, England. His
name indicates that although originally from Morlaix, Normandy, France he
was part of the Celtic/Welsh group previously mentioned who migrated to
England. During this time period surnames were not in common
use. Everybody was known by some personal characteristic such as
what they did, who there father was or where they came from, hence Pierre
de Morlaix was from Morlaix, France. Attaining a high position
within English society, Pierre became the High Steward of the Hugo de
Spencer Estate of Oxfordshire, England (later known as the House of
Spencer, of whom Princes Diana was a daughter).
Pierre changed his name to the English translated version "Peter
Morley" when Charles V, the Black Prince of France renewed the
Hundred Years War with England. This war was disrupting English
shipping, compromising trade with Spain and the Netherlands and
persecuting English subjects on the mainland in many ways. Because
of the French victory at the Battle of Hastings, Frenchmen became
persona-non-grata in England so to conceal his French origins Pierre
changed his name to the English translation, Peter Morley. (1312-1384)
Unwilling to end the heritage of the deMorlaix name, when Peter (Pierre de
Morlaix) Morley married Agnes Taylor, daughter of John Taylor of
Madresield, Worcestershire, England, they had a son. He was to be
named Henry Pierrekin (meaning "first son of Pierre", born 1340
in Shropshire, England and died in Hillmorton, Warwickshire,
England). The "kin" suffix indicates the eldest son in a
family and any subsequent sons are simply called with the suffix
"son", as in "Pierreson". Hence, the first son
is Pierrekin and the second son of Peter (Pierre) Morley would be
"Pierreson".
Henry Pierrekin altered the name further,
again to disguise the French origin, becoming the very English Henry
Pierkyn. When Henry married his eldest son was to be called John
Perkyns (born 1360 in Madresfield, Worcestershire, England and died 05 Jan
1400 in the same place); again the suffix to indicate the eldest but
changed from "kin" to "kyns". John became quite
well educated and began often signing his name as John Perkins. Now
as the prosperous John Perkins, Esquire he attained the position of Lord
of the manor of Madrasfield as well as High Steward of the deSpencers at
the passing of his father Henry. Thus began the spelling carried by
all subsequent generations.
The new, and very English, John Perkins, grandson of Pierre deMorlaix,
became Amiger and Seneschal to Thomas, Duke of Glouchester and with the
Duke's influence the Crown granted John the right to bear arms. He
was the first Perkins to own a Coat of Arms.
The oldest known Coat of Arms, which is pictured below, appears upon the
tomb of Francis Perkins of Ufton, England, who was born in 1582. The fesse
dancette between six billets is the original granted to John Perkyns
(Perkins).
Therefore, there have been many Coat of Arms for
the Perkins family, as with any other family.
During the Visitation of 1634 the Coat of Arms granted to William Perkins
of Pilsdon Parish, Llandogo, Monmouthshire, England depicted a Lion,
Passant, Sable, holding a fleur-de-lis, gules. The crest carried on
the masthead of this document appears to be the most widely accepted
version which was granted to the Warwickshire Perkins and which later
families adopted as the Coat of Arms. It is an Eagle displayed and
the fesse in a conton. In addition, the motto "Simplex vigilium
veri" was attached to the top, which translated means "In
defense of the simple truth". The fact that numerous Coat of
Arms were very similar during this period indicates, although not clearly
documented, that the Perkins Families of Warwickshire, Leicester,
Worcestershire, Hereford, Shropshire, Hillmorton and Ufton Court were all
blood kin.
The distance between Pierre
de Morlaix and John Perkins of Ipswich spans 10 generations and over 40
male offspring including all of the fathers and sons born during that
period. To bring this essay up to the America's settlers the
following is the lineage:
Pierre de Morlaix, born 1312 in Bretagne, Morliax, Normandy, France and
died 1384 in Shropshire, England, marries Agnes Taylor, son;
Henry Perkins, born 1340 in Shropshire, England and dies in Shropshire,
marries? son;
John Perkins, born 1360 in Madresfield, Worcestershire, England and dies
05 Jan 1400 in Madresfield, marries? son;
Lord William Perkins of Ufton, born 1380 in Madresfield, Worcestershire,
England and dies 1451 in Ufton Court, Berkshire, England, marries
Margaret? son;
Thomas Perkins, born 1400 in Madresfield, Nottinghamshire, England and
dies 1479 in Madresfield, marries? son;
William Perkins, born 1430 and dies 1495 marries? son;
Thomas Perkins, born 1458 in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England and dies 21
April 1528 in
Hillmorton, marries Alice de Astley, son;
Henry Perkins, born 1484 in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England and dies 16
June 1546 in
Hillmorton, marries? son;
Thomas Perkins, born 1527 in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England and dies 23
March 1592 in
Hillmorton, marries Alice Kebble, son;
Henry Perkins, born 1555 in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England and dies 11
March 1609, marries Elizabeth Sawbridge, son; |
Many early
researchers claimed that John Perkins Sr. of Ipswich, the 9th generation
grandson of Pierre deMorlaix (aka Peter Morley) was from Newent in
Gloucestershire, England. Quite simply, this is not factual.
Discovery of the Hillmorton Parish Records indicate his birth as 21 Dec
1583 and with his marriage and all the births of his children, except one
born in Boston, recorded there, proves without doubt that he was from
Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England. The births of cousins Abraham and
Isaac can also be found in these early records of Hillmorton Parish.
John Perkins Sr. married Judith Gater, daughter of Michael and Isabel
Bailey Gater, in 1608 at Hillmorton Hall, Hillmorton Parish, Warwickshire,
England. They had three sons John Jr. (1609-1686), Thomas
(1622-1686) and Jacob (1624-1700). In addition John and Judith had
four daughters Ann (1617-?), Elizabeth (1611-1670), Mary (1615-1700) and
Lydia (1632-1672). Unfortunately, contrary to today's standards,
daughters were not carriers of the family name and therefore will be
mentioned only for information purposes in this essay. One item must
be clarified regarding Jacob. Many researchers following the Perkins
family have come across "Sergeant Jacob Perkins". This is
one in the same person as the military title of Sergeant was first
prefixed to the name of Jacob Perkins in 1664 when he was chosen sergeant
of the military band of Ipswich, a title which he favored and bore forever
after.
John Perkins Sr. left Bristol, England on Dec 1,1630
on the ship "Lyon", William Pierce, master, setting sail for
Boston, in the Americas, taking with him his entire
family. At the time, consisting then of his wife and five children,
daughter Ann having died at some point in England and Lydia later born in
Boston.
Of historical note, Rev Roger Williams, afterward of famous divine, was a
fellow
passenger.
Upon arrival in the Americas in Nantasket February 5,1631 John and his
family spent the following two years in Boston. where the youngest child,
Lydia was born. On May 18, 1631 John Perkins Sr. took the oath of
freeman, admitting him to all the civil rights of the colony. He
removed himself and his family in 1633 to the colony then newly founded by
John Winthrop and others at Ipswich.
It was now that the sons of John Perkins spread out
across the land. Jacob
(1624-1700) took a wife, Ellizabeth Whipple, daughter of Matthew Whipple
and
Elizabeth Hawkins and produced five sons and 4 daughters. John
Jr. (1614-1686) also took a wife, Elizabeth __________ and produced eight
sons and one daughter. Thomas (1616-1686) also married, Phebe Gould,
and they produced five sons and four daughters.
For the purpose of this essay, as one can plainly see, with 18 male
offspring of John Perkins Sr. it would be impossible to record the
genealogy trail for each of the original "three brothers".
For those interested in this family, the proceeding is the factual
historical recounting of the stories told from generation to generation of
the "three brothers" referred to in many family stories and who,
according to legend, began the Perkins family in the New World.
Included at the end of this work is a excellent list of not only research
material used in the preparation of this piece but further works which
will aide in identifying a particular line.
Kinsmen of the name Perkins were amongst the many whom sailed aboard the
armada of small sailing ships know as the "White Sails".
Where John Perkins Sr. and family arrived in Boston in 1631 they were long
considered the first Perkins family to arrive in North America.
However, they were not necessarily the only branch to arrive, nor the
first. Principle amongst the other settlers where the families of:
Rev. William Perkins of Topsfield, Mass. (Half brother of Edward of
Conn.)
Isacc Perkins of Ispwich, Mass. (Cousin to John Sr. of Ipswich)
Abraham Perkins of Hampton, New Hampshire (Cousin to John Sr.)
Rufus Perkins of Chester, Vermont (descendant of John of Ipswich)
William Perkins of Dover, New Hampshire
Edward Perkins of New Haven, Connecticut (Half brother of William of
Topsfield)
William Perkins of New Jersey
Thomas Perkins settling in 1642
Robert Perkins settling in Virginia in 1645
and Davy and Dinah Perkins settling in Virginia in 1651.
Of significant historical note is the fact that
one Francis Perkins arrived and settled in Virginia in 1607, thirteen
years before the "Mayflower". |
