Show ContentsGallopin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Gallopin

What does the name Gallopin mean?

The origins of the Gallopin surname date back to the time of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a person who was a fast runner. The surname is derived from the Old Norman word walup and the Old French word galop. The word eventually became wallop which literally means to run. Therefore, the surname Gallopin described the physical abilities of the original bearer.

Another source agrees the name was of French origin but was derived from "a flat-bottomed boat used to load and unload ships, the surname being applied to the crew members." 1

And yet another source claims that the name could have been "local-the last syllable being a corruption of Hope-Galhope." 2 This latter simplistic entry essentially means that the 19th century author proposes that the name could have been a local name from "Hope-Galhope," a place that we cannot find today.

Early Origins of the Gallopin family

The surname Gallopin was first found in Dorset at Strode, where the family has "a tradition of Danish or Swedish descent from a soldier of fortune who was living in 1465." 2

Early History of the Gallopin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gallopin research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1590, 1619, 1625, 1629, 1640, 1650 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Gallopin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gallopin Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Gallopin has been spelled many different ways, including Gollop, Gallop, Gallup, Gollup and others.

Early Notables of the Gallopin family

Notables of the family at this time include George Gallop or Gollop (1590-1650), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Southampton (1625-1629) and (1640-1650). Son of Thomas Gallop, of Strode, Dorset, he was a wealthy merchant who acquired Southampton Castle in 1619. He built a windmill on the motte of the castle. Only...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gallopin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Gallopin migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Gallopins to arrive in North America:

Gallopin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Gallopin, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 3


The Gallopin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Be bolde, be wyse


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. 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)


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