The Pitcher name seems most prevalent in Eastern England and it could have possibly come from a job description as many surnames were derived from the actual occupation of the name bearer. It seems to be most definitely of Anglo-Saxton origin somewhere in the range of the years 1200 to 1500. Some sources speculate that it might be a name given to a person from the Picardy section of Northern France, which is a region that adjoins Normandy. This is a region from which many of the followers of William the Conqueror came which may have introduced the name into England as early as the 1066 invasion. London church registers list the name as early as December 26, 1581 when Matthew Pitcher was christened at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. This massive volume covers thirteen generations of Pitchers beginning with Andrew Pitcher who was born in Devonshire, Parish of Kent, or Worcester, England, in 1621; and came to America about 1634. Entries typically include the descendant's full name, date and place of birth, name of spouse and date of marriage, names of spouse's parents, date of death and place of burial, and names of children with date and place of birth for each. Additional information, such as occupation, is often provided. A list of sources and a full name index add to the value of this work.
