Show ContentsWaperat History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Waperat family

The surname Waperat was first found in Surrey where the family historian claims they have held a family seat from the times of King Alfred, (890 A.D.,) the great Saxon King, who granted Reginald Wapshott, his armour bearer, the lands known as Almners Barns near Chertsey in that shire. This would make Wapshott one of the oldest recorded names in English history. 1

Early History of the Waperat family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Waperat research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1250 is included under the topic Early Waperat History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Waperat Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Waperat are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Waperat include: Wappshot, Wapshott, Wapshot, Wopshot, Wopshott, Wapshatt, Woplott and many more.

Early Notables of the Waperat family

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

Migration of the Waperat family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Waperat or a variant listed above: Jane Wapshatt who settled in Virginia in 1652; Jane Wapshott settled in Barbados in 1674; James Wapshott landed in New York in 1774.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.


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