When Peleg Pierce was born on 13 January 1742, in Swansea, Bristol, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America, his father, Ephraim Pierce Jr., was 32 and his mother, Mary Stevenson, was 34.
Do you know Peleg? Do you have a story about him that you would like to share? Sign In or Create a FREE Account
English, Welsh, and Irish: from the Anglo-Norman French and Middle English personal name Piers, Peres, Peris, an Old French nominative of Pierre or Per, the French form of Peter . Pierce is especially frequent in northwestern Wales and Lancashire, while Pearce is the more common spelling in the rest of England. In Ireland Pierce and Pearse represent a shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Piarais ‘son of Piaras’, a Gaelicized form of Piers.
Americanized form of some similar-sounding Jewish surname.
History: Franklin Pierce (1804–69), 14th president of the US, was born in Hillsborough, NH, on the New England frontier. His English ancestor Thomas Pierce emigrated to Charlestown, MA, in 1633/34.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
Possible Related NamesAs a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story.