Topete History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsTopete is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the Old Danish personal name Topi. Many Scandinavian personal names were left in the British Isles as a legacy of the Viking raids which plagued the coastal regions of Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries, and many of these eventually became Anglo-Saxon surnames. Early Origins of the Topete familyThe surname Topete was first found in Somerset, where the first records of the name are Robert Top and William Toppe, bother recorded there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 1 "The Dorset family of Topp probably belong to the ancient Wiltshire family of Topp, now extinct, that held the manor of Stockton in Wilts from before the Reformation until the close of last century, when it passed by marriage into the possession of Robert Balch, Esq., of St. Audries, Somerset." 2 "The manor of Killenick [at Land's End, Cornwall] belonged, in the reign of Richard II. to John Longeland and Lankford. This manor has been dismembered ; and it was sold in the year 1720, under a decree of chancery, in its divided state. Bosvargus, which was formerly a seat belonging to a family of that name, was at one time inherited by the learned Jonathan Toup, rector of St. Martin's, near Looe." 3 Some of the family were found in Scotland as "Edward Top admitted [was] burgess of Aberdeen, 1486 is doubtless the Edward Top who was fined in 1497 for 'failzeit in the waching of the tone.'" 4 Early History of the Topete familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Topete research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1580 and 1639 are included under the topic Early Topete History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Topete Spelling VariationsSpelling 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 Topete have been found, including Toop, Toope, Tooppe, Toopes, Toup, Toupe, Tupe, Toowp and many more. Early Notables of the Topete familyMore information is included under the topic Early Topete Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Topete RankingIn the United States, the name Topete is the 11,136th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5 Migration of the Topete familyFamilies began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Topete, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were : Johanna Toop, who, at the age of 21; sailed to Jamaica in 1731; Henry Toopes, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753; and John Toop, who settled in Maryland in 1823..
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