Show ContentsDiapple History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Diapple

What does the name Diapple mean?

The ancestors of the Diapple family were part of an ancient Scottish tribe called the Picts. They lived on the lands of Dipple in Morayshire where the name can be found since very early times. 1 The name means dweller by the hollow and is originally derived from the personal name Theobald. 2

Early Origins of the Diapple family

The surname Diapple was first found in Moray, where the first record was that of Walter de Duppul had a yearly pension of 3 marks from the bishop of Moray in 1328. Rev. John Scott (d. 1738), minister of Dippie, emigrated to the American colonies, became minister of Overwharton parish, Stafford county, Virginia, and called his estate there Dipple.

In England, the name also became Tipple and "interchanges between D and T were very common." 2

Early rolls in England show Ralph Dibald in Yorkshire; and William Dibel in London as listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 2

Early History of the Diapple family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diapple research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1328, 1332, 1464, 1476, 1664, 1730, 1761, 1788 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Diapple History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diapple Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Diapple include Dibble, Dipple, Diball, Dybell, Dyball, Dippel, Diable, Dibel, Dible, Tipple, Tippell, Tibble, Dibbs, Dibben, Dibbens and many more.

Early Notables of the Diapple family

More information is included under the topic Early Diapple Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Diapple family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Diapple: Francis Dibble who settled in Massachusetts in 1635; Nathanial Dibble settled in Virginia in 1654; Thomas Dibble settled in Massachusetts in 1635; Francis Dible settled in Massachusetts 1635.



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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