Colpeper History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Colpeper is an old Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a spicer. The name is derived from two Old English elements, cul and pepper. It meant "pepper gatherer." 1 As spices were rare and expensive in the medieval period, this would have been a valued occupation.

Early Origins of the Colpeper family

The surname Colpeper was first found in Kent where the family descend from Culpepers of Bay Hall, Pembury, Kent. It is generally thought that the first record of the family was John de Colepepper (c. 1140) from Bay Hall, Pepenbury. His son, Sir Thomas de Colpepper (1170-c.1200) was Recognitor of the Grand Assize in Sussex. He died in Sussex at the age of 30. Bay Hall Manor was held by the family until 1480 when it was sold Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

In West Peckham, Kent, a Commandery of Knights Hospitallers was founded in 1408, by John Colepepper, one of the judges of the Common Pleas. 2

Early History of the Colpeper family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Colpeper research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1290, 1321, 1588, 1600, 1601, 1616, 1632, 1635, 1644, 1651, 1654, 1656, 1660, 1663, 1668, 1670, 1677, 1683, 1689, 1700, 1723, 1725 and 1740 are included under the topic Early Colpeper History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Colpeper Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Colpeper has been recorded under many different variations, including Colepeper, Colpepper, Culpeper, Culpepper, Colepepper, Colpeper, Collpeper and many more.

Early Notables of the Colpeper family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Thomas Colpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway (1635-1689), Colonial Governor of Virginia from 1677 to 1683

Migration of the Colpeper family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Colpeper or a variant listed above: Henry Culpeper who settled in Virginia in 1663; Jonathan Culpeper settled in Virginia in 1646; William Culpepper settled in New England in 1634; Margaret Culpepper settled in Virginia in 1751..

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.