Peppercorn Family History

From Middle English pepercorn ‘peppercorn’ (Old English piporcorn), most probably for a seller of peppercorns, i.e., a pepperer or spicer. Compare Spicer.

Alternatively, in view of such phrases as ‘peppercorn sized’ and ‘peppercorn hair,’ perhaps it also served as a nickname for a little man or one with a darkish complexion or hair.

Sometimes it may reference someone holding land at a ‘peppercorn rent,’ i.e., a token amount.

Perhaps it originates from a lost or as yet unidentified place named from Middle English pepercorn, in which case some examples from (1) may belong here.

Alternatively, the de in the early bearer example below may be an error for le, in which case it belongs under (1).