Chrisp History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Norman Conquest of England of 1066 added many new elements to the already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Chrisp name is derived from the Old English given name Crispin, which derives from a Latin nickname which means curly-haired. 1 Much of the popularity of the name in the early Middle Ages is a result of the popularity of St. Crispin, who was martyred at Soissons in 285 AD. Early Origins of the Chrisp familyThe surname Chrisp was first found in Oxfordshire where they had been granted the lands of Cowley by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The source Old English Bynames lists the name in the Latin form: Benedictus Crispus c.1030 as the first record of the family. Almost two hundred years later, Walter Crips was listed in the source Early London Personal Names as living there c. 1200. 2 Later the family became well established in Norfolk, where they are to this day well known. In Norfolk, the family goes back at least as far as the 14th century. "In 1388, Richard Crispe was patron of the living of Cockthorp, to which he presented one of the family; another Richard Crispe was buried in Erenze church in 1517." 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Robert le Crespe in Oxfordshire; Thomas le Crespe in Somerset; and Gilbert le Crispe in Oxfordshire. 1 Early History of the Chrisp familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Chrisp research. Another 242 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1533, 1599, 1600, 1603, 1625, 1628, 1630, 1643, 1666, 1692, 1749 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Chrisp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Chrisp Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Crisp, Cripps, Crispin, Crispe, Crisppin, Crispp and many more. Early Notables of the Chrisp familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Nicholas Crisp (1599?-1666), English Royalist, descended from a family possessing estates in Gloucestershire and engaged in trade in London; Ellis Crisp (died 1625), Sheriff of London; Tobias Crisp D.D. (1600-1643), an English clergyman and reputed antinomian; and Sir Nicholas Crispe, 1st Baronet (c.1599-1666), an English Royalist and a wealthy merchant who pioneered the... Migration of the Chrisp family to IrelandSome of the Chrisp 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. Migration of the Chrisp familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Chrisp or a variant listed above: Zacharia Crispe, who came to Virginia in 1623; Benjamin Crisp, who arrived at Waterdown, Massachusetts in 1630; Francis Crisp, a servant sent to Virginia in 1659.
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