Hoppins History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The Anglo-Saxon name Hoppins comes from when its first bearer worked as a dancer. The surname Hoppins is derived from the Old English word hoppian, which means to hop, to leap, or to dance. 1

"The name of Hopper is also established in Cambridgeshire and Devonshire. In the 13th century it occurred as Le Hoppere, or Le Hopper, in Lincolnshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, etc." 2

Early Origins of the Hoppins family

The surname Hoppins was first found in Wiltshire, where Edric le Hoppere was listed in the Pipe Rolls for 1203 and later in the Curia Regis Rolls for Worcester in 1204. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had three listings for the family: Richard le Hoppare Oxfordshire; Gerard le Hopper, Suffolk; and Reginald le Hopper, Cambridgeshire. 4

Further to the north in Scotland, "Robert Hopper received the acre of land called Stampardesakyr in the territory of Coldingham, and in 1275 witnessed a charter of lands in Raynigton to the Abbey of Coldstream. The name of a burgess family of good standing in Edinburgh from beginning of the fifteenth century. David Hopper held a tenement in the burgh in 1486, and Adam Hoppar was a notary public in the diocese of St. Andrews in 1524." 5

Early History of the Hoppins family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoppins research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1254, 1275, 1388, 1540, 1559, 1581, 1593, 1628, 1668, 1687, 1799, 1803, 1834 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Hoppins History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoppins 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 Hoppins include Hopper, Hawper, Happer and others.

Early Notables of the Hoppins family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hoppins Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hoppins family to Ireland

Some of the Hoppins family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 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 Hoppins 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 Hoppins or a variant listed above: Robert Hopper arrived in Philadelphia in 1686; Anthony Hopper settled in Maryland in 1775; along with Cornelius, Thomas; Fred, George, John, Robert, Thomas and William Hopper all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..

The Hoppins 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: Subditus fidelis regis est salus regni
Motto Translation: A faithful subject of the king is a preserver of the monarchy.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)