Show ContentsTappenden History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tappenden family

The surname Tappenden was first found in Kent. "An ancient Kentish family, long resident at Sittingbourne, but originally of Tappenden, otherwise Toppenden, in the parish of Smarden. " 1 Unfortunately, neither Tappenden, nor Toppenden can be found today. One of the first records of the name was found in the 13th century at Faversham in Kent.

Early History of the Tappenden family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tappenden research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Tappenden History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tappenden Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Tappenden have been found, including Tandenen, Tandenan, Tendenden and others.

Early Notables of the Tappenden family

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


New Zealand Tappenden 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:

Tappenden Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Edward Tappenden, (b. 1854), aged 25, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Stad Haarlem" arriving in Lyttleton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th April 1879 2


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook