Show ContentsLipsky History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Lipsky is a local name from the German region of Westphalia. Local names came to Germany with other types of hereditary surnames after the 12th century. They were derived from the name of the place where the original bearer of the name lived. Sometimes local names bear the prefix "von", meaning "of" or "from". It was an indication of land-ownership, and was sometimes taken as a mark of aristocracy. The family originally lived in the province of Westphalia. The name is of several possible origins. Firstly, it is a short form of the personal name Philipp; for example, Count Philipp von Hessen was popularly known as "Lips." Alternatively, the name is derived from "Lippe," the name of a place in Westphalia; in this instance, the progenitor of the name would likely have been a native of Lippe who had settled in another city.

Early Origins of the Lipsky family

The surname Lipsky was first found in Westphalia, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. Lippe was one of the smallest states in Germany until 1945, and is now part of Lower-Saxony. Lippe is also a river running through Westphalia and entering the Rhine just north of the Ruhr region. Chronicles speak of Arnold Lipper or von der Lippe in 1222. The name would later emerge as a noble family with great influence, having many distinguished branches, and become noted for its involvement in social, economic and political affairs.

Early History of the Lipsky family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lipsky research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1129, 1232, 1547, 1550, 1606, 1800 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Lipsky History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lipsky Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Lipsky include Lipp, Lippe, Lips, Lipps, Lipsius, Lippl, Lipple, Lippel, Lipgens, Lipgin, Lippman, Lipmann, Lipman, Lippmeier, Lipper and many more.

Early Notables of the Lipsky family

Notables of the period with the name Lipsky were Wilhelm Anton von der Lippe (around 1800), of the House of Wintrup, who was the canon of the Cathedral in Muenster as well as the...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lipsky Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lipsky Ranking

In the United States, the name Lipsky is the 18,125th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States Lipsky migration to the United States +

After 1650, thousands of German settlers came to North America to escape the religious persecution and poverty that wracked Europe and to make the most of the opportunity to own their own land in a new country. They settled across the United States in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California, and in Canada in Ontario and on the fertile plains of the prairie provinces. Among them:

Lipsky Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Chane Lipsky, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States from Bobroisk, Russia, in 1906
  • Anton Lipsky, aged 18, who settled in America from Dogilishky, Wilno, Russia, in 1907
  • Chaje Golde Lipsky, aged 15, who landed in America from Grodew, Russia, in 1907
  • Chane Lipsky, aged 17, who landed in America from Olita, Russia, in 1908
  • Alexandr Lipsky, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States from KolosChina, Russia, in 1913
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lipsky (post 1700) +

  • David Lipsky (b. 1988), American professional golfer
  • Seth Lipsky (b. 1946), American founder and editor of the New York Sun
  • John Phillip Lipsky (b. 1947), American economist, acting Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund in 2011
  • Pat Lipsky, American abstract painter
  • David Lipsky (b. 1965), American National Magazine Award winning author
  • Michael Lipsky, American Research Professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute
  • Scott Lipsky (b. 1981), American professional tennis player who won his first Grand Slam title in 2011
  • William Lipsky, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from New York County 14th District, 1935 [2]
  • Aaron A. Lipsky, American politician, Mayor of Keene, New Hampshire, 1988-93 [2]


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook