Turpin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


The name Turpin reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Turpin family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Turpin family lived in Dorset. Their name, however, is a reference to Turpin Au Bois, Normandy, 1 the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French name Turpinus, a derivative of the Latin 'turpis,' meaning 'disgraceful,' a name adopted by the early Christians as a token of humility. 2

Early Origins of the Turpin family

The surname Turpin was first found in Dorset but was quickly found in Yorkshire shortly after the Norman Conquest. One of the first records of the name was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Torfin or Turfin. 3

Turfinus filius Torfini was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1130 as was Torphinus in the same rolls in 1196. A few years later, Gaufridus filius Thorphini was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1204. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list John Turpin in Oxfordshire. 4 Whitchester in Northumberland was home to a branch of the family. "This place was for ages the possession of the Turpin family." 5

Richard "Dick" Turpin (1705-1739), the infamous English highwayman who was executed on 22 March 1739 for his deeds was inspiration for many English ballads, theatre and films hailed from Hempstead, Essex. Ironically, Turpin was never convicted of being a highwayman or a murderer. He was convicted of being a horse-rustler and that led to his execution.

Early History of the Turpin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Turpin research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1619 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Turpin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Turpin Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Turpin family name include Turpine, Torpin, Turpin, Turbin, Turping, Tirping, Tirpin, Terpin, Turpen and many more.

Early Notables of the Turpin family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Turpin World Ranking

In the United States, the name Turpin is the 2,597th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 6 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Turpin is ranked the 577th most popular surname with an estimated 79 people with that name. 7 And in France, the name Turpin is the 462nd popular surname with an estimated 9,469 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Turpin family to Ireland

Some of the Turpin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Turpin migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Turpin family to immigrate North America:

Turpin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Turpin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Turpin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Turpin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Turpin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Turpin Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Turpin migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Turpin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Turpin migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Turpin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Turpin migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19
Turpin Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Turpin (post 1700) +
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