Show ContentsAlsopp History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Alsopp has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in Alsop-le-Dale, a chapelry in the parish of Ashbourne, in the county of Derbyshire. "Alsop is the Elleshope of the Domesday Survey. The manor was given by the crown to William de Ferrars, Earl of Derby, from whom it passed in succession to various families. " [1]

"This ancient race were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, (Alsop-Le-Dale) in Derbyshire, about the time of the Conquest, and there continued in an uninterrupted descent for 19 or 20 generations." [2]

Early Origins of the Alsopp family

The surname Alsopp was first found in Derbyshire in the midland of England where the Pipe Rolls of 1175 include and entry for Gamel de Haleshoppe. Later, Philip Alsope was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Cheshire. [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls also included: William Alsape, Cambridgeshire; and Elena Alsope, Cambridgeshire. [4]

"The ancient and distinguished family of Alsop were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, in the parish of Ashbourn, at the time of the Norman Conquest, and there they continued for 19 or 20 generations. Of this family there are numerous branches, of which the Allsopps of Burton form one. There was a Richard de Alsop of Shropshire in the 13th century. The name is also found in the surrounding counties, but Derbyshire is its great home." [5]

Moving forward a few centuries, we did find these interesting entries in Hotten's Lists of Emigrants, (pp. 58, 78, 12): Joseph Alsopp (aged 14) went out to New England in the Elizabeth in 1635. Also Thomas Alsopp (aged 20). Also Robert Alsopp aged 18. [4]

In Scotland, "this surname occurs in the Aberdeen Directory, and is most probably of recent introduction from England. From Alsop in the county of Derby." [6]

Early History of the Alsopp family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alsopp research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1601, 1603, 1616, 1626, 1630, 1637, 1641, 1656, 1696, 1703, 1706, 1726 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Alsopp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alsopp 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 Alsopp have been found, including Allsopp, Allsop, Alsopp, Alsop, Elleshope and others.

Early Notables of the Alsopp family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Vincent Alsop (ca. 1630-1703), an English Nonconformist clergyman. Anthony Alsop (d. 1726), was an English poetical writer, educated at Westminster and Christ Church...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alsopp Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Alsopp migration to the United States +

Families 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. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Alsopp, or a variant listed above:

Alsopp Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jo Alsopp, aged 50, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Plain Joan" [7]
  • Tho Alsopp, aged 20, who landed in New England in 1635 [7]
  • Mr. Joseph Alsopp, (b. 1621), aged 14, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Elizabeth and Anne" arriving in Massachusetts Bay (Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire) in 1635 [8]
  • Mr. Thomas Alsopp, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Elizabeth and Anne" arriving in Massachusetts Bay (Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire) in 1635 [8]
  • Mr. Robert Alsopp, aged 18, who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "David" in 1635 [9]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Alsopp 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:

Alsopp Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas V Alsopp, who landed in Waiorongomai, New Zealand in 1840

West Indies Alsopp 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. [10]
Alsopp Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Richard Alsopp, who arrived in Barbados in 1680

Contemporary Notables of the name Alsopp (post 1700) +

  • Harold Alsopp, British author


The Alsopp 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: Festina lente
Motto Translation: Be quick without impetuosity.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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. 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)
  8. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 24th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  9. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies


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