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Show ContentsPope History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The ancient Scottish name Pope is carried by the descendents of the Pictish people. It was a name for a confident or haughty person. Pope is a nickname surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress. The surname Pope comes from the Old English word pope, which referred to the Bishop of Rome, and the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Although this is also a title of office, as a surname, it was most often applied as a nickname. 1

Early Origins of the Pope family

The surname Pope was first found in Elgin where "a family of Paips or Papes appear to have belonged originally, and some of them were in the legs profession before the Reformation. In Caithness, Sutherland, and Orkney, the surname is still pronounced Paip. In 1363 William Pop, son and heir of William Pop, burgess of Elgin, made a gift to the altar of the Virgin in the church of S. Giles in Elgin, and in 1375 there is mention of Robert Pop of Elgin. Adam Popp and Robertus Popp were jurors on an assize regarding the mill lands of Quarelwode in 1389." 2

Early History of the Pope family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pope research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1137, 1393, 1397, 1400, 1507, 1516, 1540, 1559, 1573, 1580, 1585, 1596, 1598, 1599, 1602, 1603, 1606, 1611, 1622, 1624, 1627, 1631, 1653, 1660, 1688, 1714, 1744 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Pope History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pope Spelling Variations

When the first dictionaries were invented in the last few hundred years, spelling gradually became standardized. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound. Names were often recorded under different spelling variations every time they were written. Pope has been written Pope, Paip, Pape, Paipe, Popp and others.

Early Notables of the Pope family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

  • Thomas Pope (died 1400), from Gloucester, was an English politician, Member of the Parliament for Gloucester in 1393 and 1397; Sir Thomas Pope (1507-1559), English founder of Trinity College, Oxford...
  • Sir William Pope (1573-1631) of Wroxton Abbey, near Banbury, was made knight of the Bath in 1603, and a Baronet in 1611. His son Sir William Pope (1596-1624) had three sons. The eldest was Sir Thomas...
  • Alexander Pope (1688-1744), was an English poet, son of Alexander Pope, born in Lombard Street, London. Another Alexander Pope or Paip (died 1782) was a Scottish minister of the church of Scotland and...

Pope World Ranking

In the United States, the name Pope is the 405th most popular surname with an estimated 69,636 people with that name. 3 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Pope is ranked the 305th most popular surname with an estimated 149 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Pope is the 573rd popular surname with an estimated 6,732 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Pope as 364th with 1,747 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Pope as 489th with 13,242 people. 7

United States Pope migration to the United States +

The crossing to North America did not seem so great in comparison with the hardships many Scots endured at home. It was long, expensive, and cramped, but also rewarding. North America offered land and the chance for settlers to prove themselves in a new place. And many did prove themselves as they fought to forge a new nation in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of those Scots can now experience much of their once-lost heritage through the Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up across North America in the last century. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Pope:

Pope Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Miss Elizabeth Pope, (b. 1613), aged 8, British settler who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Abigaile" 8
  • Elizabeth Pope, who landed in Virginia in 1623 9
  • Thomas Pope, who landed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1630 9
  • John Pope, who arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1633 aboard the ship "Recovery" 9
  • Mr. Joseph Pope, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Mary & John" 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pope Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Pope, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 9
  • William Pope, who landed in Georgia in 1739 9
Pope Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Charles Pope, who landed in New York, NY in 1832 9
  • Alexander Pope, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 9
  • Abraham Pope, aged 54, who arrived in Missouri in 1849 9
  • Henry Pope, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 9
  • Frederich Pope, who landed in Indiana in 1852 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Pope Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Martin Pope, (b. 1858), aged 44, American miner returning from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Saxonia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 18th October 1902 en route to Montana, USA 11
  • Mr. William Pope, (b. 1879), aged 23, Cornish labourer from Breage, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Celtic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 4th May 1902 en route to Eveleth, Minnesota, USA 11
  • Miss Phillie Pope, (b. 1878), aged 25, Cornish dressmaker from Marazion, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Celtic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 24th Janaury 1903 en route to Big Timber, Montana, USA 11
  • Mrs Mary Pope, (b. 1883), aged 22, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 4th June 1905 en route to Houghton, Michigan, USA 11
  • Mr. William Pope, (b. 1877), aged 28, Cornish miner from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Etruria" arriving at Ellis Island, New York, USA on 30th January 1905 en route to Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, USA 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Pope migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Pope Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Pope, British convict who was convicted in Westminster, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. James Pope, British Convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • William Pope, English convict from Somerset, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Thomas Pope, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Miss Ann Pope who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Pope 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:

Pope Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Samuel George Pope, aged 30, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Elizabeth Pope, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
  • Mr. Samuel George Pope, (b. 1810), aged 30, British carpenter travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 17
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Pope, (b. 1806), aged 34, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 17
  • Mr. Henry Pope, (b. 1813), aged 27, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Olympus" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th April 1841 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Pope 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. 19
Pope Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Antony Pope, (b. 1607), aged 28, British settler travelling from Gravesend, England aboard the ship "Falcon" arriving in Barbados in 1636 20

Contemporary Notables of the name Pope (post 1700) +

  • William Pope (1955-2023), birth name of Pope.L, an American visual artist best known for his work in performance art, and interventionist public art
  • Martin Pope (1918-2022), born Isidore Poppick, an American physical chemist and professor at New York University, awarded the Davy Medal from the Royal Society in 2006
  • Carmelita Pope (1924-2019), American actress of stage and screen, known for her role in A Streetcar Named Desire and close friendship with Marlon Brando
  • Leslie Pope (1954-2020), American Academy Award nominated set decorator, best known for her work on the 2003 film Seabiscuit
  • Andrew Jackson "Jack" Pope Jr. (1913-2017), American judge, attorney, author and legal scholar, 23rd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas (1982-1985)
  • David Pope (1962-2016), American NBA basketball player
  • John Edwin Pope (1928-2017), American journalist and sportswriter at the Miami Herald
  • Brigadier-General Francis Horton Pope (1879-1971), American Attached to the Office of the Quartermaster-General (1941-1943) 21
  • Lawrence Edgar Pope (1940-2013), American educator and politician, member of the Iowa House of Representatives (1979-1983)
  • Colonel Percival Clarence Pope (1841-1922), United States Marine awarded the Marine Corps Brevet Medal for bravery
  • ... (Another 86 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Hood
  • Mr. Geoffrey C Pope (b. 1900), English Supply Chief Petty Officer serving for the Royal Navy from Hoyland, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 22
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Henry James Pope, British Petty Officer Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 23
  • Mr. Pope, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 23
HMS Royal Oak
  • Reginald A. Pope, British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 24
  • George Arthur Pope (1910-1939), British Petty Officer with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 24
RMS Lusitania
  • Miss Effie Brooks Pope, American 1st Class Passenger from Farmington, Connecticut, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 25

Suggested Readings for the name Pope +

  • The Barrens: a Family History of South Central Kentucky by Emery H. White.
  • Pabst, Bobst, Pobst, Pope Family in the South by Jennings Bland Pope.
  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. 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)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  9. 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)
  10. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  11. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  20. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  21. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Francis Pope. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Pope/Francis_Horton/USA.html
  22. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
  23. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  24. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
  25. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
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