Topps History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Topps is an ancient Anglo-Saxon surname that came from the Old Norse name Toppr. 1 Many Scandinavian personal names were left in the British Isles as a legacy of the Viking raids which plagued the coastal regions of Britain from the 8th to 10th centuries, and many of these eventually became Anglo-Saxon surnames.

Alternatively, some researchers believe the name to denote "An elevated spot known in some dialects as a top, and is used antithetically to bottom. Residence on such a spot would originate the surname." 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Topps family

The surname Topps was first found in Gloucestershire where Robert Toppe was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1196. A few years later, in Lincolnshire, Herueius filius Toppe was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1200 and Roger Top was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208 in Norfolk. 1

It was the branch in Wiltshire that later rose to prominence and hold that position for centuries. "The Dorset family of Topp probably belong to the ancient Wiltshire family of Topp, now extinct, that held the manor of Stockton in Wiltshire from before the Reformation until the close of last century, when it passed by marriage into the possession of Robert Balch, Esq., of St. Audries, Somerset." 5 Interestingly, the Register of the University of Oxford included Henry Topp, Dorset, 1600-1607 and John Toppe, Wiltshire, 1612. Parish records in Stourton, Wiltshire include two baptismal records: John Tooppe, 1580 and David, son of Robert Toope, 1639. 3

In Somerset, we found Robert Top and William Toppe, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 6

Moving north to Scotland, we found "Edward Top admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1486 is doubtless the Edward Top who was fined in 1497 for 'failzeit in the waching of the tone'. " 7

Early History of the Topps family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Topps research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1669, 1844, 1850, 1858, 1902 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Topps History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Topps Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Topps has been recorded under many different variations, including Topp, Top, Toppe and others.

Early Notables of the Topps family

Notables of the family at this time include Arthur Maning Topp (1844-1916), an Australian journalist who helped to establish the Melbourne Review. Born in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, he was the eldest son of the...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Topps Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Topps Ranking

In the United States, the name Topps is the 14,732^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8

Topps migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Topps or a variant listed above:

Topps Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Charles Topps, aged 25, originally from London, who arrived in New York in 1907 aboard the ship "Kronprinz Wilhelm" from Cherbourg, France 9
David Topps, aged 39, who arrived in New York in 1912 aboard the ship "Saint Louis" from Southampton, England 9

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result