Show ContentsChopin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Chopin

What does the name Chopin mean?

The name Chopin comes from a name for a person noted for enjoying strong drink. The surname Chopin is derived from the Old French word chopine, which was an old medieval measure of liquid; referred to as "the Parisien halfe pint", it was nearly as large as an English pint. In modern times, the Old French word chopiner means to tipple. The surname Chopin may also be a patronymic name derived from the personal name Chopin.

Early Origins of the Chopin family

The surname Chopin was first found in Devon, but we must look to Somerset to find the first recording of the family; for it is there that researchers found John Chopyn was listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 1

The Curia Regis Rolls for Devon in 1219 included an entry for Walter Chopin and later the Assize Rolls for Somerset recorded Henry Choppin in 1280. 2

Early History of the Chopin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chopin research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1219, 1280, 1327, 1377, 1596, 1597, 1606, 1685, 1781 and 1789 are included under the topic Early Chopin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chopin Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Chopin include Chopping, Choppin, Chopyn, Chopin, Choppen, Chappington and many more.

Early Notables of the Chopin family

John Chappington or Chapington (d. 1606), English organ-builder, born at South Molton, Devonshire. "He seems to have built an organ for Westminster Abbey about 1596, when an entry in the churchwardens' accounts of St. Margaret's, Westminster, records that he was paid 13l. 13s. 4d. for the organs of the college church. In 1597 Chappington built an organ for...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Chopin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Chopin Ranking

France, the name Chopin is the 833rd most popular surname with an estimated 6,146 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Chopin family to Ireland

Some of the Chopin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Chopin migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chopin or a variant listed above:

Chopin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Dominic Chopin, aged 29, french settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Baltimore" in 1850 4
  • O. Chopin, aged 39, French settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Angela Brewer" in 1855 4
  • L. Chopin, aged 6, French settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Angela Brewer" in 1855 4
  • M. Chopin, aged 40, French settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Angela Brewer" in 1855 4
  • Louis Chopin, aged 46, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1872 5

Chopin migration to Australia +

Chopin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Alfred Chopin, aged 19, (1846 - 1902), British settler convicted in Manchester, England in 1865 for receiving stolen goods, sentenced to 10 years, transported aboard the ship "Norwood" arriving in Fremantle, Australian in 1867 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Chopin (post 1700) +

  • Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849), Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for solo piano
  • Oscar Charles Chopin Jr. (1873-1932), American artist known for his cartoon illustrations that appeared in several newspapers
  • Katherine Chopin (1851-1904), born Katherine O'Flaherty, an American author of short stories and novels based in Louisiana
  • Ivan Chopin (1798-1870), Russian historian, ethnographer and statesman of French origin
  • Charlotte Chopin (b. 1922), French yoga instructor recognized for her significant contributions to the field of yoga in France
  • Nicolas Chopin (1771-1844), French teacher of French language, father of Frédéric Chopin
  • Jean-Marie Chopin (1796-1871), French-Russian explorer of the Caucasus
  • Henri Chopin (1922-2008), French avant-garde composer
  • Félix Chopin (1813-1892), French bronze designer, active in Russia


  1. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  5. 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)
  6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Chopin


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