Trolop History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Trolop

What does the name Trolop mean?

The name Trolop is part of the ancient legacy of the early Norman inhabitants that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Trolop was a Norman name used for a person who derived their name from the Old Norse word "troll" meaning an "imp" or "super natural being" and the Old English word "hop" which means "enclosed valley."

The most probable is that of the distinguished Lower, who suggests the name derives from Trois Loups, or 'three wolves' but then errs in ascribing a relationship to the many wolves which abounded in Lincolnshire. More likely it relates to the distinguished Coat of Arms of the Lupus family, the great Earls of Chester, who held extensive lands in Lincolnshire, and was conjecturally a junior branch of this royal family. The Lupus Coat of Arms was three wolves heads. 1

Early Origins of the Trolop family

The surname Trolop was first found in Northumberland where the name was originally spelt Troughburn which was derived from the expression "troll-valley."

Alternatively, the name could have been "derived from a geographical locality. 'of Trollop.' Probably 'hope' is the suffix. " 2

One of the first records of the family was William de Trollop in 1383 as listed in the Prior of Holy Island: Raine's History and Antiquities of North Durham. John Trolop was listed in 1401 in the History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham. 2

Anthony Trollope (1815-1882), the famous English novelist of the Victorian era hailed from London but little is known of his lineage. Thomas Adolphus Trollope was his elder brother.

Early History of the Trolop family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trolop research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1298, 1320, 1461, 1564, 1640, 1756, 1815, 1839 and 1882 are included under the topic Early Trolop History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trolop Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Trollop, Trollope and others.

Early Notables of the Trolop family

Sir Andrew Trollope (d. 1461), the British soldier, "said by Waurin to have been of lowly origin. He fought long in the French wars of Henry VI's day, and acquired a great reputation for courage and skill...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Trolop Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Trolop family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Trolop name or one of its variants: John Trollop settled in Virginia in 1642.

The Trolop 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: Audio sed taceo
Motto Translation: I hear, but say nothing.

Sources +

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