The PENHORWOOD family pre-1795 in Northam

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Everyone,
It seems as though the PENHORWOOD family lived in Northam for generation after generation, in evidence there through all the Censuses from 1841 till 1911.
The earliest rite of passage I have come across is a 15th Feb. 1795 marriage between  a John PENHORWOOD and a Jane HILL. 
But can anyone tell me whether there are entries for the PENHORWOOD family in Northam before this date? 
Many thanks, Keith

[Kloumann]

Have a look at this link on familysearch

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?q.surname=penhorwood&q.birthLikePlace=northam&q.birthLikeDate.from=1600&q.birthLikeDate.to=1795&f.recordCountry=England&f.recordSubcountry=England%2CDevon&count=20&offset=0&m.defaultFacets=on&m.queryRequireDefault=on&m.facetNestCollectionInCategory=on

Look at this one for Westleigh which is only a few miles from Northam,

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?q.surname=penhorwood&q.birthLikePlace=westleigh&q.birthLikeDate.from=1500&q.birthLikeDate.to=1608&f.recordCountry=England&f.recordSubcountry=England%2CDevon&count=20&offset=0&m.defaultFacets=on&m.queryRequireDefault=on&m.facetNestCollectionInCategory=on

[emeltom]

Quite a few entries on FindMyPast as well - some with images of the register.

Emeltom

[Keith Sherwood]

Kloumann and Emeltom,
Thanks so much both for your swift responses!  I'll try and rustle up my signing in details for familysearch, and then will see whether it's worth my while spending some money on the Findmypast website after that...
Keith

[Kloumann]

The earliest names are in Westleigh but all down that coast had Penhorwoods including Buckland Brewer, Newton St Petrock, Barnstaple & Little Torrington

[Keith Sherwood]

I think I read somewhere once that a surname that began with PEN- usually meant a Cornish, or maybe S.W. Peninsula origin.  Very nice part of the world.  And a huge number of PENHORWOOD PR entries to sort through!  Many thanks again,
Keith

[DOB7]

The earliest baptism I could find in Northam was in 1756 - an Alexander & wife Peternal PENHORWOOD baptised 10 children up to 1779. Northam's registers have been transcribed and are freely available at https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/DEV/Northam - scroll down to Church Records. In addition, there are many memorial inscriptions shown under the heading Cemeteries.
Alexander PENHORWOOD of Bideford married Peternal BLACKMORE at Northam 19 Sept 1753. An Alexander PENHORWOOD was buried at Northam in 1801 aged 73 which possibly links to a baptism at Frithelstock or one at Great Torrington, both in 1728 for an Alexander.

[Keith Sherwood]

DOB7, thanks so much for that further clarity with reference to those PENHORWOOD PR's in Northam.
And as for that Peternal forename for the wife of Alexander, I can't say I've come across it before.  I'm wondering if it might be a mistranscription/mispronounciation for Petronella.  It doesn't seem to be listed in my copy of "Oxford Names Companion". 
Keith
What a wonderful link that is that you provide, too!

[DOB7]

I think it's a spelling variant of Peternel - I have several instances of that as a forename from that timeframe.