Kilpeck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Kilpeck is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in Killpeck, (Kilpeck) a parish, in the union of Dore, Upper division of the hundred of Wormelow, county of Hereford (Herefordshire.) 1 2 3

This ancient place dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was registered as Chipeete. 4 According to the Domesday Survey, Kilpeck had "3 ploughs, 2 serfs and 4 oxmen and there are 57 men with 19 ploughs." The place name is derived from the Welsh word "cil", meaning "corner, nook." 5

This is the first evidence pointing to the possible Welsh origin of the name. In Welsh, the parish is named Llanddewi Cil Pedeg as in the 9th century, the area around Kilpeck was within the Welsh kingdom of Ergyng. An Archaeological Journal on the Remains of Shobdon Old Church, Herefordshire notes that the south door of the church of Kilpeck includes "figures of men supposed to represent Welsh knights, arranged in couples and interwoven with tracery" and "other monuments on the borders of Wales" include similar figures. "The two figures at Kilpeck are armed respectively with a sword and a kind of mace." The church is thought to have been built c. 1135.

Early Origins of the Kilpeck family

The surname Kilpeck was first found in Shropshire (Salop), where one of the first records found was that of Hagh de Kilpec, Salop, Henry III-Edward I. 6

Early History of the Kilpeck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kilpeck research. Another 225 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1300, 1500 and 1583 are included under the topic Early Kilpeck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kilpeck Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Kilpeck were recorded, including Kilpack, Killpack, Kilpac, Kilpak, Killpak, Kilpeck, Killpeck, Kilpec, Killpec, Killpoch, Kilbeck, Killbeck, Kilbec and many more.

Early Notables of the Kilpeck family

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

Migration of the Kilpeck family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Kilpeck family emigrate to North America: Thomas Killpoch, who sailed to Virginia between 1663 and 1679.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)