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The Tarpley history begins in Cornwall, a rugged coastal region in southwestern England. Quite distinct from Devon, the adjoining county, Cornwall had its own spoken language until the late 18th century. The Tarpley history began here. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames were derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. The Tarpley family originally lived in Devon in village of Tapeley. The village name literally means "wood where pegs were cut." 1
The surname Tarpley was first found in Devon where the name is associated with the village of Tapeley. At the taking of the Domesday census in 1086 Tapeley was held by Osbern, a Norman Baron, who held it from the Bishop of Countances. The source Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I has two early listings for the family, both in Devon: Adam de Tapplegh and Robert de Tapplegh. 2
However, some of the family were well established as Tabley Inferior in Cheshire from ancient times. "Tabley House, the seat of Lord de Tabley, is replete with natural and artificial embellishments. The ancient house, the former seat of the family, is, with good taste, preserved; it is a fine specimen of the old habitations of the aristocracy of the country, and is situated on an island." 3
Continuing the quest in Cheshire, the parish of Knutsford was also found to be an ancient family seat. "At the Conquest, Knutsford formed part of the barony of Halton, but in the reign of Edward I. it came into the possession of Sir William de Tabley, who obtained for it a charter of incorporation and various privileges." 3
One of the first records of the family was Adam de Tabley, Lord of Cheadle (1270-1306), son of Roger d'Eiville, father of William de Tabley (born c. 1275.) This William is presumed to be the aforementioned Sir William. He had at least one daughter, Katherine de Tabley (1310-1390) who with her sisters(?) sold the estate in small parcels to the Masseys, Egertons and Breretons. 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tarpley research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1564, 1632 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Tarpley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Tapley, Taplay, Tappleigh, Tapleigh, Taplegh, Tapplegh, Taplow, Taploe, Tapploe, Tapplow, Tapely, Tapply, Tarpley, Tarpleigh, Tarplow and many more.
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tarpley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Tarpley is the 9,079th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5
Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Tarpley or a variant listed above: