Show ContentsHope History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hope Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Hope

What does the name Hope mean?

The Anglo-Saxon name Hope comes from when the family resided in one of the various settlements of Hope found in Derbyshire, Shropshire, and the North Riding of Yorkshire, among other places, or in or near a raised area of land in a fen, or a small, enclosed valley. The surname Hope is derived from the Old English word "hop" which means "the side of a hill, or low ground between hills." 1 In Scotland, "hope" means "glen." 2

Early Origins of the Hope family

The surname Hope was first found in Shropshire where Robert de Hope was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1255. John atte hop was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296 and later Robert del Hope was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1302. 3

Roger de la Hope was found in the Hundredorum Rolls for Herefordshire in 1273. 4

In Somerset, John atte Hope, Walter atte Hope and Edith atte Hope were listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign) 5 and Alicia de Hope was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4

In Scotland, "John Hope of Peeblesshire rendered homage [to King Edward I of England], 1296, and Symon de la Hope was received to the king of England's peace in 1321. " 6

Early History of the Hope family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hope research. Another 219 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1541, 1567, 1573, 1590, 1605, 1606, 1614, 1643, 1646, 1654, 1661, 1678, 1681, 1742, 1844, 1860, 1902 and 1908 are included under the topic Early Hope History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hope Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hope has been recorded under many different variations, including Hope, Hopes and others.

Early Notables of the Hope family

  • Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet Hope of Craighall (1573-1646), a Scottish lawyer, Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1643. He was the son of an eminent Edinburgh...
  • His eldest son, Sir John Hope, Lord Craighall (1605?-1654) was a Scottish judge. His second oldest son, Sir Thomas Hope of Kerse (1606-1643) was a Scottish judge and politician. His sixth son, Sir Jam...
  • Charles Hope of Hopetoun, first Earl of Hopetoun (1681-1742), was the only son of John Hope of Hopetoun. 7
  • James Hope of Hopetoun (1614-1661), was a Scottish industrialist and politician who held Keith Marischal, a Scottish Baronial Country house in the parish of Humbie, East Lothian

Hope World Ranking

the United States, the name Hope is the 1,800th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 8 However, in Australia, the name Hope is ranked the 624th most popular surname with an estimated 6,252 people with that name. 9 And in New Zealand, the name Hope is the 417th popular surname with an estimated 1,581 people with that name. 10 The United Kingdom ranks Hope as 473rd with 13,643 people. 11

Migration of the Hope family to Ireland

Some of the Hope family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hope migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hope or a variant listed above:

Hope Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Hope who settled in Virginia in 1607
  • Thomas Hope, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1607 13
  • Abraham Hope, who landed in Maryland in 1651 13
  • William Hope, who landed in Maryland in 1660 13
  • Giles Hope, who landed in Virginia in 1661 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Hope Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Misbell Hope, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1773 13
  • Georg Hope, who arrived in America in 1778 13
Hope Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Robert Hope, aged 51, who arrived in New York in 1812 13
  • David Hope, aged 45, who landed in New York in 1812 13
  • Matthew Hope, who arrived in New York, NY in 1823 13
  • James Hope, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1839 13
  • James, John, Michael, Patrick, Samuel, Thomas, and William Hope, all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870

Hope migration to Canada +

Hope Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Hope, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1828

Hope migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Hope Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Hope, (Holme), English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Mr.John Hope, (b. 1781), aged 31, British settler who was convicted in Lancashire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fortune" on 31st October 1812, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. Abraham Hope who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Camden" on 21st March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. Richard Hope, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Emperor Alexander"on 6th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Mr. Charles Hope, (1809 - 1835), aged 26, British settler who was tried in Lancashire, England in October 1833 for 7 years for stealing food, transported aboard the "George III" on 12th December 1834, going to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) she sunk on the 12th Marh 1835 he drowned
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hope 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:

Hope Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Jane Hope, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Midlothian" in 1859
  • Orry H. Hope, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Midlothian" in 1859
  • Mr. Thomas Hope, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 18
  • Mrs. Hope, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 30th July 1861 18
  • Miss Mary Hope, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Sevilla" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 4th September 1864 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hope (post 1700) +

  • Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope KBE, KCSG (1903-2003), English-born, American entertainer who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, on radio and television, in movies, and in performing tours for U.S. Military, the "first and only honorary veteran of the U.S. armed forces," recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, eponym of the USNS Bob Hope
  • Dolores Hope (1909-2011), American singer, entertainer, philanthropist, wife of the actor and comedian Bob Hope
  • Dave Hope (b. 1949), American bass guitarist, best known for his work the American progressive rock band Kansas
  • Hugh Hope, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kansas, 1948 19
  • Mrs. Herbert Hope, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma, 1956 20
  • Grover H. Hope, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Frederick, Oklahoma, 1935-43 20
  • Edson S. Hope, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Vermont, 1940 20
  • Clifford Ragsdale Hope (1893-1970), American Republican politician, Lawyer 20
  • Carl N. Hope, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 1956 (alternate), 1960 20
  • ... (Another 36 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Miss Chrissie Hope (1910-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 20
  • Mrs. Francis  Hope, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 21
  • Mr. Ernest J Hope (b. 1902), English Leading Stoker serving for the Royal Navy from Winchfield, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 22
  • Mr. Harold W. Hope, American Private from Illinois, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 23

The Hope 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: At spes infracta
Motto Translation: Yet my hope is unbroken.

Suggested Readings for the name Hope +

  • The Marlett Family in Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest United States, With Connections to the Ball, Humphries, Hope, and Cross Families by Nadeen Cross Marlett.
  • More..,A Supplement in Two Parts to Receipt for an Inheritance by Margery Day Hanson.
  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  10. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  11. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  12. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  13. 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)
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 2nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/camden
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emperor-alexander
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  20. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  21. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  22. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  23. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html

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