Pons Fitzpons

• General Notes
  • The earliest bearer in England of the christian name Poinz or Pons (Pontius), from which the family name Poyntz was developed, appears to be Ponz, who gave 3 hides in the manor of Eaton Hastings, Berks, to Westminster Abbey, and had succeeded there before 1086, when Walter son of Pons held that manor in chief. He was probably the Pons who witnessed a charter of the Conqueror to the abbey of Fecamp shortly before the Conquest. Walter, son of Pons, from whom the family of Hastings of Eaton Hastings probably descended, was also a tenant-in-chief in Leach, co. Gloucester, where Drew (Drogo) son of Pons (presumably his brother) had an equivalent holding in chief. Osbert son of Pons, presumably another brother, was given Longney on Severn, Glos, by William I, and gave it with the church to Malvern Priory in the time of Henry I, not later than 1127. As Osbern son of Pontius he had made an earlier (but not effective) gift of the church of Longney, with a fishery there, to Pershore Abbey on behalf of his son Ralph, a monk. He was probably the Osbert son of Poinz or Ponc' who was pardoned Danegeld in Glos and Bucks in 1130. Another member of the family was Richard son of Pons, who m. Maud, daughter of Walter of Gloucester. She had from her father in marriage, Ullingswick, co. Gloucester. Their eldest son Simon occurs as a knight shortly before 1129, and from their son Walter the family of Clifford descended. [Complete Peerage X:669-70 note (g)]