Cowpe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England produced the name of Cowpe. It was given to a person who habitually wore a long cloak or cape. The surname Cowpe is derived from the Old English word cope, which emerged about 1225 and comes from the Old English word cape, which refers to a cloak or cape.

Early Origins of the Cowpe family

The surname Cowpe was first found in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire where the family "appear in the character of civil servants of the crown in the reign of Richard II and Henry IV, and were rewarded with large grants of land." ^[1] The held family seats at Hardwick and Hanwell, both in the neighbourhood of Banbury. ^[1]

Another source claims " Staffordshire is the home of the Copes, who are most numerous in the district of Stoke - on - Trent. In the reign of Charles II., Jonathan Cope, of Rauton Abbey, was High Sheriff for the county. The name is also represented in Cheshire and Derbyshire. The ancestors of the line of baronets of this name seem to hail originally from Oxfordshire. In the 13th century the name was established in Bucks, Beds, London, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire." ^[2]

Important Dates for the Cowpe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cowpe research. Another 59 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1549, 1551, 1557, 1614, 1588, 1601, 1604, 1614, 1690, 1760, 1745, 1632, 1675, 1660, 1675 and 1797 are included under the topic Early Cowpe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowpe Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Cowpe has appeared include Cope, Coap, Coape, Copes and others.

Early Notables of the Cowpe family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include Alan Cope (d. 1578), English Catholic divine, "a native of the city of London. He was educated at Oxford, and after taking the degree of B.A. was made perpetual fellow of Magdalen College in 1549. " ^[3] Sir Anthony Cope (d. 1551), was an early English author, second son of William Cope of Hanwell, Oxfordshire, cofferer to Henry VII, by his second wife Joan, daughter of John Spencer of Hodnell, Warwickshire, was a member of Oriel College, Oxford, but does not appear to have graduated. ^[3] Michael Cope ( fl. 1557), was a Protestant author who fled from...
Another 101 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cowpe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Cowpe family to Ireland

Some of the Cowpe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Cowpe 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:

Cowpe Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• William Cowpe, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

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Citations

1. ^ Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
2. ^ Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
3. ^ Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print