Show ContentsAlsup History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Alsup name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Alsup was originally derived from a family having lived in Alsop-le-Dale, a chapelry in the parish of Ashbourne, in the county of Derbyshire. "Alsop is the Elleshope of the Domesday Survey. The manor was given by the crown to William de Ferrars, Earl of Derby, from whom it passed in succession to various families. " [1]

"This ancient race were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, (Alsop-Le-Dale) in Derbyshire, about the time of the Conquest, and there continued in an uninterrupted descent for 19 or 20 generations." [2]

Early Origins of the Alsup family

The surname Alsup was first found in Derbyshire in the midland of England where the Pipe Rolls of 1175 include and entry for Gamel de Haleshoppe. Later, Philip Alsope was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Cheshire. [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls also included: William Alsape, Cambridgeshire; and Elena Alsope, Cambridgeshire. [4]

"The ancient and distinguished family of Alsop were seated at Alsop-in-the-Dale, in the parish of Ashbourn, at the time of the Norman Conquest, and there they continued for 19 or 20 generations. Of this family there are numerous branches, of which the Allsopps of Burton form one. There was a Richard de Alsop of Shropshire in the 13th century. The name is also found in the surrounding counties, but Derbyshire is its great home." [5]

Moving forward a few centuries, we did find these interesting entries in Hotten's Lists of Emigrants, (pp. 58, 78, 12): Joseph Alsopp (aged 14) went out to New England in the Elizabeth in 1635. Also Thomas Alsopp (aged 20). Also Robert Alsopp aged 18. [4]

In Scotland, "this surname occurs in the Aberdeen Directory, and is most probably of recent introduction from England. From Alsop in the county of Derby." [6]

Early History of the Alsup family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alsup research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1601, 1603, 1616, 1626, 1630, 1637, 1641, 1656, 1696, 1703, 1706, 1726 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Alsup History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alsup Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Alsup include Allsopp, Allsop, Alsopp, Alsop, Elleshope and others.

Early Notables of the Alsup family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Vincent Alsop (ca. 1630-1703), an English Nonconformist clergyman. Anthony Alsop (d. 1726), was an English poetical writer, educated at Westminster and Christ Church...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alsup Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alsup Ranking

In the United States, the name Alsup is the 7,862nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [7]


United States Alsup migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Alsup Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joseph Alsup, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 [8]
  • Thomas Alsup, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1635 [8]
  • George Alsup, who arrived in Connecticut in 1667 [8]
  • Key Alsup, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1668 [8]
Alsup Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Giles Alsup, who landed in Virginia in 1724 [8]
Alsup Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Gideon Mass Alsup, aged 44, who settled in Galveston, Texas, in 1921

Contemporary Notables of the name Alsup (post 1700) +

  • Bill Alsup (1938-2016), American race car driver, first CART Rookie of the Year in 1979
  • William Haskell Alsup (b. 1945), American politician and jurist, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of California, 1999-
  • Todd Alsup, American pianist and singer-songwriter based in New York City
  • John R. Alsup, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives 65th District, 2012 [9]
  • James M. Alsup, American politician, U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue for Hawaii, 1951 [9]


The Alsup Motto +

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: Festina lente
Motto Translation: Be quick without impetuosity.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  6. 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)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. 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)
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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