Recorded as Inkpen and Inkpin, this is an English surname. It is locational from either of two villages called Inkpen in the counties of Berkshire and Devonshire. The name is apparently a combination and fusing of the pre 7th century Norse-Viking word 'ingel', a personal name which translates as 'angel,' and 'penn', an Olde English word meaning a hill, or the top of a hill. Such locational names were generally given either to inhabitants who moved voluntarily or otherwise from their village to some other place usually in search of work, or as in this first recording, to the local lord of the manor.
The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Ingepenne. This was dated 1255 in the Hundred Rolls of landowners of Berkshire, during the reign of King Henry 111rd of England, but known to history as 'The Frenchman', because he was born in France, 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Discovering the historical roots of inkpen is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of inkpen.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname inkpen.
The historical chronicle of inkpen is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname inkpen.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname inkpen, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished inkpens throughout human history. If you or someone you know bears the surname inkpen, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of inkpen. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of inkpen.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of inkpen, and at the same time, of surnames in general.