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Clopton is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that is derived from Osgoode Clapa a nobleman of Danish or Saxon origin. As a man of noble worth he attended the Court of King Cnut. Another possible origin of the surname Clopton may be an extension of the Old English Clop which meant lump. It was often applied as a nickname to someone who was large and ungainly. It was adopted in England as a surname only after the Norman Conquest of 1066.
The surname Clopton was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat. The name is claimed to be descended from a Danish noble who attended the court of King Canute, Osgod Clappa. Although the name was found in the late 13th century in Oxford, the Cheshire dating places Turstan de Cloptuna there in the year 1154, and succeeded by Alan de Clapeton in 1185. In its migration south, the name seems to have been transformed into Clopton, which gave rise to the village of Clopton in Suffolk, which became the family seat. There is much historic interchangeability between the records of the two spellings.
The church in the village of Long Melford, Suffolk "contains many interesting monuments, among which are, one to William de Clopton, dated 1446; one to John de Clopton in 1497 and numerous brasses to the families of Clopton." 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clopton research. Another 173 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1359, 1366, 1388, 1389, 1400, 1412, 1440, 1441, 1450, 1455, 1474, 1483, 1487, 1491, 1496, 1497, 1501, 1614, 1662 and 1733 are included under the topic Early Clopton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Clopton has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Clopton have been found, including Clapton, Clappton, Clopton, Clapeton, Cloptun, Cloptone, Clotton, Clapperton and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include
In the United States, the name Clopton is the 11,258th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Cloptons to arrive on North American shores: