Pluck - Name

Recorded in many spellings including Plack, Plak, Plugue, and Pluck, this is apparently a surname of Flemish-French origins. It was originally recorded in England in the 17th Century at the various French Huguenot churches, indicating that the name holders fled from the continent to avoid persecution by the catholic regimes lead by France. The surname (in England) derives from the names Plock, Pluchet,and Plucque found in the early heraldic records for Europe. The meaning is rather obscure, but is probably a variation from the Ancient French "peluche" of the pre 7th century, and as such be a nationalistic nickname meaning "stranger" in the same context as "Welsh or Walsh" which also had that meaning. In England. Early examples of the surname recordings include Marie Plucque baptised at Threadneedle Street French Huguenot church in 1693, Mary Plak, who married Assher Turner at St Nicholas church, Cole Abbey, London, on November 16th 1738, Hugo Plake, a witness at St Dunstans in the East, Stepney, on December 1st 1760, and Richard Plack, a christening witness at St Marks Kennington, on February 26th 1832. The first recorded spelling of the family name in England is believed to be that of Simon Pluque. This was dated 1641, when he married Antoinette Delahaye at Threadneedle Street French Church, city of London, during the reign of King Charles 1st, 1625 - 1649. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.