Paylor

This very interesting surname is of French origins, although it is doubtful if any British name holders were actually from that country. The name derives from 'paelle', a word introduced by the Norman invaders of 1066, and during the period when French was the compulsory language until the 13th century, it was used to describe a maker of pails and buckets. It has a surprising number of variants spelling forms and these include Paylor, Pailor, Paler, Payler, Pallor, and Paillor, although all are quite rare, and as Pailler and Paillor seems to be extinct. It has been suggested that some name holders may derive from the French Palairet, a surname introduced into Britain by the Huguenot Protestant refugees after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. This is possible but if so, we have no definitive proof. The meanings are in anycase quite different. Parairet being equivalent to the English surname Hayton, and meaning Hay farm or a place where hay was stored. The early surname recordings include Ralph le Paeller of Worcester in the Hundred Rolls of 1297, whilst later church recordings include those of Frances Payler of North Cave, Yorkshire on December 12th 1578, and that of Willva Paylor who married Eliza Brouke at Leake, North Yorkshire on October 27th 1651. The coat of arms was granted in Yorkshire on October 20th 1585. It has the blazon of Gules, on a bend Sable, three mullets of six points Or pierced, between three lions passant guardant, Argent. The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Ralph le Paeler. This was dated 1193, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Westmoreland, during the reign of King Richard 1st, known as 'The Lionheart', 1189 - 1199.