Origins: Italy

History of the Giglio family dates back to 753 A.D. The name Giglio originated in  Pellicciari but little is known about their early history. They became seated in  Ferrara in 1184 during the Norman occupation. Ferrara is a city in Emilia capital of  the province of Ferrara. In ancient times only persons of rank, the podesta, clergy,  city officials, army officers, artists, and landowners were entered into record. To  be recorded in this time was in itself a tremendous family honor.



About the Packham Family

Origins: England

Few amongst the ancient surnames of England are so highly regarded as Peckham.  This  surname is one of the oldest Norman surnames and its history is closely interwoven  into the prosaic tapestry which is reflected in the ancient chronicles of all England.

The Curia Regis, Pipe Rolls, the Falaise Roll, tax records, baptismals, family  genealogies, local parish and church records reveals the first record of the name  Peckham was found in Kent where they were seated 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.

The early and middle development phase of the name found many different spellings in  the archives researched, typically linked to a common root, usually one of the Norman  nobles at the Battle of Hastings.  Although your name, Peckham, occurred in many  references, from time to time, the surname included the spellings: Peckham, Pecham,  Peckem, Peckam, Packham, and these changes in spelling frequently occurred, even  between father and son.    Scribes and church officials recorded and spelled the name  as it was told to them, frequently spelling it different ways on each occasion.  It  was not unusual that a person would be born with one spelling, married with another,  and buried with a headstone which showed another.  All three spellings related to the  same person.  Sometimes preferences for spelling variations either came from a  division of the family, or had religious reasons, or sometimes reflected  nationalistic concerns.

The family name Peckham is believed to be descended originally from the Norman race,  frequently but mistakenly assumed to be of French origin.  They were more accurately  of Viking origin.  The Vikings landed in the Orkneys and Northern Scotland about the  year 870 A.D., under their king, Stirgud the Scout.  Thorfinn Rollo, his descendant,  scion of explorer clans who may well have visited North America, landed in northern  France about the year 940 A.D.  The French king, Charles the Simple, after Pollo laid  siege to Paris, finally conceded defeat and granted northern France to Rollo.  Rollo  became the first Duke of Normandy, the territory of north men.  Rollo married  Charles’ daughter and became a convert to Christianity.  Descended from Rollo was  Duke William of Normandy who invaded England in 1066 and was victorious of the Saxon  King Harold at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Duke William granted his Norman nobles much of the land of England for their  assistance at the Battle of Hastings.  Amongst these Normans a noble is believed to  have been our ancestors.  After careful analysis the researchers found that the first  evidence of your surname was found in Kent where they were recorded as a family of  great antiquity seated as lords of the manor and estates in that shire.  They were  originally from St. Nicholas in Normandy, through the distinguished family of De  Sayes.  Perhaps one of the most distinguished personalities was Archbishop Peckham,  in 1272.  James Peckham succeeded him and the family held numerous branches in Kent  and Sussex more specifically in Little Green, Upmarden, and Lordington, also at Nyton  also in Sussex.  The family seat was in Beaksbourne House at Bridge in Kent where R.  Peckham was seated in the 19th century.  Notable amongst the family at this time was  Archbishop Peckham of Kent.

The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found for Peckham was: Ermine with a gold  and red quarterly stripe at the top. The crest was an ostrich.

The ancient family Motto for this distinguished name was: “Tentanda Via Est” which  means "The way must be tried."