Show ContentsInkpenney History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Inkpenney has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the region of Inkpen near Hungerford in Berkshire. Inkpenney is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Inkpenney family

The surname Inkpenney was first found in West Berkshire at Inkpen, a village and civil parish that dates back to Saxon times when the village was named Ingepenne c. 935. 1 By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, the village's name was Hingepene 2 and was literally derived from the Old English words "ing" (meaning hill or peak) and the Celtic or Old English word "penn" (meaning hill or enclosure.) 1

The manor of Pillaton in Cornwall which in Doomsday Survey is called Pileton, belonged to the Earl of Moreton at that time. This manor, about the reign of Edward I. was in the family of Inkpen. "It was afterwards the property of John Charles, Esq. of whose heiress this manor and that of Hardenfast were purchased by Thomas Moone, Esq. about 1620." 3

Early History of the Inkpenney family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Inkpenney research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1217 and 1301 are included under the topic Early Inkpenney History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Inkpenney 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 Inkpenney have been found, including Inkpen, Inkpin, Ingpen and others.

Early Notables of the Inkpenney family

More information is included under the topic Early Inkpenney Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Inkpenney family to Ireland

Some of the Inkpenney family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 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 Inkpenney family

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 Inkpenney, or a variant listed above: John Inkpen, who settled in New England in 1756.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print


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