Origins of the Palmer surname

What does the name Palmer mean?

The Palmer surname has been found in records dating back to the 1200s and is considered to be English, of Norman origin. Palmer is a derivation of the Old French 'paumer' and refers to those who have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Those who made the journey would carry back palm leaves as proof that they had travelled, and this surname would be given to them and their descendants.

Alternative variations of the name Palmer

Palmer, Pallmer, Parmer, Pelmer, Parmar

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Delve deeper into the Palmer family's history

OrkneyShetlandHighlandsWestern IslesGrampianTaysideCentralStrathclydeFifeLothianBordersDumfriesNorth East 1284North West 445Isle of Man 23Yorkshire 2233East Midlands 1383West Midlands 1825East 2680London 8992South East 3933South West 1640South Wales 611Mid Wales 89West Wales 2North Wales 60Republic of IrelandNorthern Ireland

In 1921, most Palmers lived in london

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Interesting facts about Palmer

How common is your surname?

76th most common surname in the UK

We have for the Palmer surname. The oldest one dates back to 1220.

Who were Palmers most likely to marry?

Our tell us which families married Palmers.

What are the most common Palmer first names?

John

William

Mary

Elizabeth

Our tell us the names of Palmer family members
Man with milk churns and census card collage
Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

Common jobs for Palmers

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Commmon female occupations for Palmers in 1921

Dressmaker

1,660

Laundress

990

Domestic Servant

885

General Servant Domestic

794

House Servant

706

Commmon male occupations for Palmers in 1921

Agricultural Labourer

2,048

General Labourer

1,283

Carpenter

1,121

Farmer

1,056

Farm Labourer

1,053

We found over 390,000 family trees with the Palmer surname

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