Show ContentsDrappar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain were the first to use the name of Drappar. The name had a practical origin since it came from when its initial bearer worked as a maker or seller of woolen cloth. The surname Drappar is derived from the Old French word drapier and the Anglo-French word draper, which both have this meaning. The word was recorded in Old English as early as 1376.

Early Origins of the Drappar family

The surname Drappar was first found in Lancashire where one of the first records of the family was Robert le Draper who was listed in the Pipe Rolls (1181-1182.) 1 Later the Subsidy Rolls, Henry le Draper was listed as holding estates in 1332 in the same county. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists Roger le Draper in Wiltshire and Auwred le Draper in Cambridgeshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Johannes Drapour as a drapour at that time. 2

Early History of the Drappar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drappar research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1646, 1678, 1689, 1694 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Drappar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drappar Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Drappar include Draper, Drapere, Draiper, Draeper, Drapar, Drapir, Drayper, Dreypar, Drapper, Drapier, Drabber, Drapber, Drabper, Drappar and many more.

Early Notables of the Drappar family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Drappar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Drappar family to Ireland

Some of the Drappar family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Drappar family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Drappar or a variant listed above: Henry Draper settled in Virginia in 1621; the year after the "Mayflower" landed, and many of the name were banished to Barbados where they settled from the year 1654. John Draper was banished in 1654.



The Drappar 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: Vincit pepercit
Motto Translation: He conquered, he spared


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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