Show ContentsOppy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Oppy surname was created from the medieval personal names Oppy, or Obby, which were turn short forms of personal names such as Osborn, Osbert, and Osbald.

Early Origins of the Oppy family

The surname Oppy was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Penhargard.

"The manor of Lan-car, Lancarfe, or Lancoff, which was held of the honour of Bodmin, or of St. Petroc, was, in the reign of Richard II. in the Whalesborowe family, who then held it under the Bevilles, and retained it for several succeeding generations. In the fifteenth century the barton belonging to this manor, was in the family of Opie, from whom it passed successively to the Crossmans and Bullocks." 1

Early History of the Oppy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oppy research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Oppy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oppy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Opie, Opey, Opye, Oppie, Oppye, Oppey, Upey, Uppie and many more.

Early Notables of the Oppy family

More information is included under the topic Early Oppy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Oppy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Oppy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Charles Oppy, (b. 1867), aged 22, Cornish mason departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "Etruria" arriving in New York, USA on 22 April 1889 2

Australia Oppy migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Oppy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • William Oppy, aged 25, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Money" in 1849 3
  • Eliza Oppy, aged 23, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Money" in 1849 3
  • Mr. Henry Oppy, (b. 1824), aged 22 born in Crowan, Cornwall, UK convicted in Bodmin on 1st August 1846, sentenced for 7 years for stealing money, transported aboard the ship "Cornwall" in 1851 to Van Diemen's Land, Tasmania, Australia 4
  • Mr. Henry Oppy, (b. 1829), aged 17, Cornish settler convicted in Bodmin, Cornwall, UK on 1st August 1846, sentenced for 7 years for stealing money from his employer, William Treloar at Wendron, transported aboard the ship "Cornwall" on 24th February 1851 to Van Dieman's Land, Tasmania, Australia 5
  • Mr. Henry Oppy, (b. 1828), aged 23, Cornish farm labourer who was convicted in Bodmin, Cornwall, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Oppy (post 1700) +

  • Grant Oppy (b. 1950), former Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in 1970
  • Jim Oppy (1921-2011), Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne in 1945
  • William "Max" Oppy (1924-2008), Australian rules football player who played for Richmond (1942-1954) and managed the club in 1956
  • Graham Robert Oppy (b. 1960), Australian philosopher, Associate Editor of the Australasian Journal of Philosophy


  1. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  2. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) "WILLIAM MONEY" 1848-49. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849WmMoney.htm
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/tasmanian_convicts_cornish.pdf
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall


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