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![Show Contents]() Toppfer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Toppfer familyThe surname Toppfer was first found in Saxony where they were an ancient family "well known in the literature of Germany and France." 1 The family held a family seat at Thuringe in later years. The family became dispersed when they were beset by the religious conflicts of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Under Charles V of France the main branch were described as Lutherans or "tout-perd" which in the Netherlands became Toupard. From this source, "the principal branch went to Guernsey in 1548." 1 Another source follows this timeline but adds "A branch of the family settled in England at Sandwich, Kent, whence another descendant, Thomas Tupper, went to America in 1635, and helped to found the town of Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1637." 2 Yet another source claims a completely different origin of the name. In this case, the name originated at "York in 1365 [when] men were employed in beating and ramming (tupant) the earth and mud, strengthened with straw, with rammers (tuppis) and great hammers. As the rams were called tups, these workmen may well have been named tuppers." 3 The latter source may have some credence as early rolls revealed: Robert Tophird in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327, 3 and Willelmus Tuphird in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4 Early History of the Toppfer familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toppfer research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1548, 1821, 1887 and 1896 are included under the topic Early Toppfer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Toppfer Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Topper, Toppfer, Tupper, Touper, Toper and others. Early Notables of the Toppfer familyMore information is included under the topic Early Toppfer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Toppfer familySome of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Tupper settled in Lynn Massachusetts in 1630; Alfred Tupper settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1820; Peleg Tupper settled at Newbern in 1820; George Topper settled in Virginia in 1685..
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: L'espoir est ma force
Motto Translation: Hope is my strength.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
- 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)
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England
Germany
