The Palmer Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Palmer, its origins in England, and the story behind a Palmer family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Palmer coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Palmer name
Palmer is an English nickname for a pilgrim who had been to the Holy Land, from Old French palmer. Returning pilgrims carried a palm branch as a token of their journey. The surname appears in England from the twelfth century and is now common across the south and the Midlands, as well as in America and Australia.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Palmer name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Palmer name in England. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Australia and Canada; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Palmer family history
The complete Palmer pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Palmer name FAQ
What does the Palmer name mean?
Pilgrim to the Holy Land. Common variants include Palmar, Pamer, Palmieri.
Where does the Palmer surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Palmer coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Palmer crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Palmer coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.