We have borne the name of “Gillès de Pélichy” ever since the “Gillès” and “de Pélichy” (Baron Louis Gillès and Marie de Pélichy, daughter of Baron Jean de Pélichy (photo) ) families joined together in 1828.
A better understanding of how the Gillès de Pélichy name originated can be gained from reading an extract from the book entitled “La famille de Pélichy” from G. de Hemptinne, H. Douxchamps – Recueil de l’Office Généalogique et Héraldique de Belgique – 1999, written by Baron Miguel Gillès de Pélichy, President of our Family Association:
« The name Pelichy does not refer to a territory, land or a castle the Gillès family once owned. It is simply the name of a family that united with ours in the 19th century: our ancestor Louis Gillès (1798-1876), Senator and the first Baron with this name (1842), married Marie de Pelichy. At that time it was common in Bruges for a married man to add the name of his wife to his own name, Louis was henceforth called Gillès de Pelichy and this was how he was known as soon as he was married in 1828.
Later on, in 1842, King Léopold I conferred upon him the title of Baron with a quartered coat of arms together with that of de Pelichy.
Much later on, in 1872, he was finally officially allowed to add the name de Pélichy to his name Gillès as the son-in-law of Baron Jean de Pelichy, Senator and Mayor of Bruges.
All the Gillès de Pélichy are descended from this relationship by marriage. »