Show ContentsInlpennay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Inlpennay

What does the name Inlpennay mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Inlpennay family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the region of Inkpen near Hungerford in Berkshire. Inlpennay is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Inlpennay family

The surname Inlpennay was first found in West Berkshire at Inkpen, a village and civil parish that dates back to Saxon times when the village was named Ingepenne c. 935. 1 By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, the village's name was Hingepene 2 and was literally derived from the Old English words "ing" (meaning hill or peak) and the Celtic or Old English word "penn" (meaning hill or enclosure.) 1

The manor of Pillaton in Cornwall which in Doomsday Survey is called Pileton, belonged to the Earl of Moreton at that time. This manor, about the reign of Edward I. was in the family of Inkpen. "It was afterwards the property of John Charles, Esq. of whose heiress this manor and that of Hardenfast were purchased by Thomas Moone, Esq. about 1620." 3

Early History of the Inlpennay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Inlpennay research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1217 and 1301 are included under the topic Early Inlpennay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Inlpennay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Inlpennay include Inkpen, Inkpin, Ingpen and others.

Early Notables of the Inlpennay family

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

Migration of the Inlpennay family to Ireland

Some of the Inlpennay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Inlpennay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Inlpennay or a variant listed above: John Inkpen, who settled in New England in 1756.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print


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