Show ContentsFillip Surname History

The ancestors of the bearers of the name Fillip were the ancient Britons that inhabited in the hills and Moors of Wales. This surname was derived from the personal name Philip. This name, which was usually Latinized as Philippus, was originally derived from the Greek name Philippos. This Greek name was composed of the words "philein," which means "to love," and "hippos," which means "horse." The personal name Philip owed its popularity to the medieval romances about Alexander the Great, whose father was Philip of Macedon.

Philip of Poiters (died 1208?) was Bishop of Durham and a favourite clerk of Richard I. He accompanied the latter on his crusade of 1189, and was present at his marriage with Berengaria of Navarre at Cyprus in 1191. 1

Early Origins of the Fillip family

The surname Fillip was first found in Kent, where legend has it that the family (but not the surname) is descended from Maximus, the Briton, Roman Emperor from 383 until his death in 388, and the King of Britain, when he married the daughter of Octavius, King of the Britons. Later the family was forced back into Wales by the invading Saxons, where they traditionally claim descent from Tudwal (c.AD 528-564) "of the wounded knee," a descendant of Rhodri Mawr, first King of Wales.

Early History of the Fillip family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fillip research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1279, 1500, 1533, 1543, 1560, 1566, 1568, 1570, 1586, 1587, 1588, 1594, 1599, 1604, 1613, 1614, 1620, 1629, 1630, 1631, 1638, 1640, 1644, 1653, 1662, 1674, 1675, 1676, 1680, 1696, 1699, 1701, 1706, 1709, 1720, 1721, 1724, 1749 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Fillip History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fillip Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Fillip has occasionally been spelled Phillips, Philips, Phillip, Philip, Pilip, Pillips, Fillip, Filip, Filips, Phillipes, Philipes, Phillup, Philups, Fillups, Filups, Pilups, Pillups, Fulop and many more.

Early Notables of the Fillip family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sion Phylip (1543-1620), Welsh poet, son of Phylip ap Morgan; Sir Robert Phelips (1560-1614), English Speaker of the House of Commons and master of the rolls, was fourth and youngest son of Thomas Phelips (1500-1588) of Montacute, Somerset. Miles Philips (fl. 1587), was an English mariner with Captain John Hawkyns on his voyage of 1568. He and another 114 were put ashore near Panuco, Mexico. They were captured and indentured as domestic servants. Philips also worked in a mine where over four years accumulated some four thousand pieces of eight. During the...
Another 270 words (19 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fillip Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Fillip family to Ireland

Some of the Fillip family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 109 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fillip family

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in search of land, work, and freedom. These immigrants greatly contributed to the rapid development of the new nations of Canada and the United States. They also added a rich and lasting cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Fillip: Elinor and Henry Phillips who settled in Virginia in 1623; George Phillips, who came to Salem, MA in 1630; John, Edward, William, Andrew, Bodman, Charles, David, Griffith, James and Jo Phillips, who all arrived with their families in Virginia between 1635 and 1667.



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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