Contents [hide]

Phillipps History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Phillipps History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

The ancestors of the bearers of the name Phillipps 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 Phillipps family

The surname Phillipps 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 Phillipps family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Phillipps 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 Phillipps History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Phillipps Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Phillipps name over the years has 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 Phillipps 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 Phillipps Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Phillipps family to Ireland

Some of the Phillipps 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.

Phillipps migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Phillipps:

Phillipps Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Phillipps, who arrived in Virginia in 1620 2
Lewis Phillipps, who landed in Virginia in 1635 2
Thomas Phillipps, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 2
Edward Phillipps, who landed in Virginia in 1638 2
Georg Phillipps, who landed in Virginia in 1638 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Phillipps Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Homer F Phillipps, who arrived in Colorado in 1906 2

Phillipps migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Phillipps Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Phillipps, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Phillipps migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Phillipps Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Catherine Phillipps, (b. 1874), aged 1, Cornish settler departing on 7th September 1875 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th December 1875 3
Mrs. Elizabeth Phillipps, (b. 1845), aged 30, Cornish settler departing on 7th September 1875 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th December 1875 3
Mr. Thomas Phillipps, (b. 1850), aged 25, Cornish labourer departing on 7th September 1875 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 7th December 1875 3

Phillipps migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 4

Phillipps Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. John Phillipps, (b. 1613), aged 21, British settler travelling from London, UK arriving in St Christopher (St. Kitts) on 5th January 1634 2
Mr. John Phillipps, (b. 1597), aged 37, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Hopewell" arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 2
Mr. John Phillipps, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 5
Jo Phillipps, aged 20, who landed in Barbados in 1635 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Phillipps (post 1700) +

Adelaide Phillipps (1833-1882), British-born, American opera singer
Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), 1st Baronet, an English antiquary and book collector, born at 32 Cannon Street, Manchester; his family were long settled at Broadway, Worcestershire
Samuel March Phillipps (1780-1862), English legal writer, second son of Thomas March of More Crichel, Dorset; his father assumed the additional surname of Phillipps on succeeding in 1796 to the estate of Garendon Park, Leicestershire
Everard Aloysius Lisle Phillipps VC (1835-1857), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
Ambrose Phillipps (1707-1737), English politician, Member of Parliament for Leicestershire (1734–1737)
John Hugh "Jack" Phillipps CBE (1898-1977), New Zealand cricket administrator, manager of the New Zealand cricket team's tours of England in 1949 and 1958
Roy Cecil Phillipps MC & BAr, DFC (1892-1941), Australian fighter ace of World War I credited with 15 aerial victories
Sir William Herbert Phillipps (1847-1935), South Australian businessman and philanthropist
Vivian "Henry" Phillipps (1870-1955), British teacher, lawyer and Liberal politician, Chairman of the Liberal Party Organisation (1925–1927)
Anthea Phillipps B.Sc. (b. 1956), British botanist and author

The Phillipps Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ducit amor patriae
Motto Translation: Patriotism leads me.

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm