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Welcome to "The Pepys One Name Study". My name is Andrew Prescott and my interest is in the name "Pepys" or its variations - which are numerous. The main variations that appear to have lasted into the 19/20th centuries are primarily "Peeps," and also, "Peaps" and "Peapes" and even 'Papes'. The name "Pipes" may also be connected but the link is probably lost in the earlier period before records.
The reason I am interested in the name "Pepys" is that my mother was a "Pepys". Her 19th century ancestors used the spelling "Peeps", and their immediate ancestors most often were 'Peapes' or 'Peaps'. It was commonly believed in the family that the Peeps were related to the Pepys and several of the families changed the spelling in the middle of the 20th century to Pepys. I have little doubt that this connection is correct, but the evidence remains circumstantial. These Norfolk families are found in the same group of parishes where two branches of the Pepys family were based in the 16th century; that is the area of the Burnhams, and South Creake - the area generally within the Brothercross Hundred and/or Docking district. There are at least two generations between the Pepys of Burnhams and the Peaps/Peapes of the Burnhams. But several of the parish registers of the Burnhams are as yet unexplored, and I still hope that the missing links will be found. Most of the families of Pepys of Cambridge and Norfolk are linked except for a few stray individuals. Most of the surviving families of Peeps/Peapes/Peaps/Pepys of Norfolk are also linked. But George Peeps born about 1690 of Lynn remains unlinked.
The main published genealogies of the Pepys families are:
Genealogy of the Pepys Family 1273-1887, Pepys, Walter Courtenay, 1840-(Main
Author), Frederick Muller, reprinted by Barnes and Noble. Available on microfilm
from LDS.
Eight Generations of the Pepys Family, 1500-1800 Chappell, Edwin.
London, 1936 (Private Publication).
I used these as the basis of my own own compilations. However, I have been
able to add to these, and in few cases found some areas of inconsistency,
and made amendments - which are detailed below.
Walter Courtenay Pepys states that: "considering the number of years -more
than six hundred-for which there is positive proof that the name has existed
in England, the number of persons bearing it is curiously small." He goes
on to say that he has searched every directory and (perhaps revealingly),
"nor have I ever heard of the name occurring among those classes not generally
included in Directories." Nowadays there are some dozen people by the name
of Peeps, and a similar number by the name Pepys, evenly distributed between
the US and UK. There are also some families of Australia but my information
on living members is limited.
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There are a large number of variations in spelling of Pepys,
considering the relatively small number of people. Walter Courtenay Pepys
lists 17 "misspellings" and their earliest occurence. The various (mis)spellings
of the name often occur in alternate versions of records for the same person;
for example, three different spellings in one document.
The following is from Walter Courtenay and Edwin Chappell with earliest
unlinked individual.
Earliest Use
1. Pepis. Richard Pepis..Stane Hundred
Rolls of the Hundreds, 1273. Also appears in Cottenham Parish records. 1593
This is the spelling used in the "Visitation of Cambridge, 1619."
2. Pepes John Pepes...Wytlisford Hundred.
Rolls of the Hundreds, 1273. This spelling is used for the majority of individuals
in the "Visitation of Norfolk, 1585" William Pepis...Cottenham, 1329
3. Pipys1 William Pipys...Cottenham,
1340
4. Pypys John Pypys...Chesterfield,
1411.
5. Peppy Robert Peppy...Beeston, 1428.
6. Pepys Thomas Pepys...Cottenham,
1434. This is the most usual spelling in Cottenham Parish Records, 1572-1641
and Cambridge University Alumni 1261-1900. It is also used for Robert and
William on the Visitation of Norfolk, 1585, and the Visitation of Cambridge,
1684.
7. Pepy Robert Pepy....Kings Lynn.,
Inquisitiones ad quod damnum, 1439.
8. Peppys Henry Pepes or Peppys...Depedale,
1439 . Laurence Pipys...Stalham, Will of Laurence Pypys, 1511.
9. Pipes1. William
Pipes Ditto.
10. Peppis3.
John Peppis...Branktre. Will of John Peppis of Branktre,
1518.
11. Peppes. Will of Margaret, wife of above., 1519.
12. Pepes. Will of Thomas Pepes of Cottenham, 1520.
13. Peppys. Will of John Peppys of Debden, 1552.
14. Peapes. Talbot Pepys or PeapesCambridge University
Alumni, 1595 and U.K. Census records, one family in Burnham Norfolk 1881.
15. Peapys. Hern?, Nicholas, John Peapys. Subsidy
Taxes, Docking, Norfolk. 1597. Magdalen College, Cambridge, Records, 1653.
16. Peapis Richard Pepys or Peapis, Cambridge Unversity
Alumni, 1602.
17. Peaps. Will of John Peaps of Cambridge, 1636.
18. Pippis. Will of Anna Pippis of Cambridge, 1639.
19. Pepps Daniel Pepys or Pepps, Cambridge University
Alumni, 1652.
20. Peps. Samuel Pepys, marriage register, St. Martin's
in the Fields, 1655.
21. Pypes1 Admon. of Wm. Pypes' estate,
1656.
22. Peypes. Letter of Edw. Montagu to chief Justice
Pepys, 1656.
23. Peeps. Extract from "Coffee House Paper," Samuel
Pepys' Diary.
24. Peepes. William Pepys or Peepes, Cambridge University
Alumni, 1622. Marriage licence, John Peepes and Mary Gibson, Apr. 1683.
25. Peyps. Burial register of Samuel Peyps, St.
Olaves, Hart St., 1703.
26. Papes2 Parish
registers and Bishops transcripts of Walsingham, Norfolk, 1784-1874, UK census
records 1851, 1881.
27. Papys IGI, Christening record of Eldrid Pepys
1712.
1 The various spellings Pipes, Pipys, Pypes, Pypys, would seem
to suggest that the modern "Pipes" are a related variation. In fact Pipes
is a much more widespread name and this could even lead one to wonder if "Pepys"
is actually a subset of "Pi(y)pes". Pipes are mainly found a little further
north than the Pepys (Chesterfield) and so Pypes and Pepys may have split
from common source in an early period.
2 The families that appear as "Papes" also appear as "Peapes" and
"Peaps" in the same records. There may be some families by this name in other
parts of the country who may have different origins.
3 Early Essex Branch - link to other Pepys is not known.
According to WCP the modern accepted spelling of "Pepys" did not become standard
until the end of the seventeenth century; although, in use much earlier. The
spelling "Pepys" appears in the Visitation of Norfolk, 1585, and in the "Visitation
of Cambridge, 1684.
There have also been various ways of pronouncing the name Pepys, WCP mentions
"Peps", "Peeps", and "Peppis". He says that the Diarist pronounced it "Peeps"
as do the lineal descendants of his sister Paulina, the family of Pepys-Cockerell.
The other branches of the family all pronounce it "Peppis" which WCP considers
to be "correct" because of the early spelling and the French origins as "Pepy".
However he may have been mistaken in his assumptions about pronunciation based
upon spelling. According to the Oxford Dictionary it appears that in early
English the word peep/peeps (like a bird song) was written a variety of ways
such as "pepe" and even "pepys".
Notable People:
Modern dictionaries of names suggest that Pepys is from the Old
French personal name Pepis (nominative form), oblique case Pepin, introduced
to Britain by the Normans. It may have originally been a by-name meaning "terrible"
or "awe-inspiring." from the German verb root "bib" - to tremble. It was the
name of several Frankish kings including Pepin le Bref, father of Charlemagne,
and remained popular throughout the early middle ages. Variants Pep(p)in, Pippin,
Pipon.. The first English mention is Ralph and Henry Pipin in the Domesday book
for Leicestershire 1086, and John Pepin, c. 1160 in Lincolnshire
Walter Courtenay Pepys says that the name "Pepys" came from the French "Pepy",
"Pepie", "Peppe" or "Pepe". One theory is that it originates from the Languedoc
where is found the name "Pepyons" in 1292. WCP goes on to describe the correspondence
that he had with a French Pastor M.Pepy who writes that the families of Languedoc
have a tradition that their origins were Italian, where are found the names
"Pepi" "Pepe" or "Peppe". I suspect that this was purely speculation based
upon the coincidence of names. A search of the IGI will reveal many similar
European names: What this may reveal is a common linguistic origin (i.e. for
the same reason that Smith is the most common name in much of Europe) but
not necessarily a common family origin. The Dictionary of Surnames by Patrick Hanks and Flavia Hodges:
Oxford University Press. The Dictionary of English Surnames By P.H.Reaney
& R.M Wilson. The Penquin Dictionary of Surnames by Basil Cottle.
"According to Whatley's account of Samuel Pepys 'the family
of Pepys is one of considerable antiquity in the east of England.'
A 'Pepis' and a 'Pepes' held land in Cambridgeshire back in Edward I's time.
[1272-1307].
[Ric Pepis holds one messauge and one rood of land of the same G. He pays
a halfpenny for the lot. Before the war of the roses, another was bailiff to the Abbot of Crowland.
In 1563 the name of Thomas Pepys of South Creake in Norfolk is found entered
in the Herald's Visitation of that year, among the gentry bearing coat-armour.
William Pepys the Abbot's bailiff, had three sons and three
daughters. From the eldest son descended the first Norfolk branch.
From the second came the Pepyses of South Creake, and from the third the
ancestors of Samuel Pepys.
Samuel's paternal great aunt Paulina made what was to prove
a doubly fortunate marriage. Her husband was Sir Sidney Montague,
who purchased Hichingbroke (by Huntingdon) from Oliver Cromwell's uncles
and godfather. Their eldest son, Sir Edward, became one of the Protector's
chief Admirals. He played a principal part in the Restoration of Charles
II and was created Earl of Sandwich..."
There are a number of notable individuals of the Pepys families. The most
well known is the diarist Samuel Pepys.
There is also William Hasledine Pepys, Richard Pepys Lord Chief Justice of
Ireland, and the Earls of Cottenham. William Henry Peeps of North Carolina
architect.
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Early Origins of Pepys
Earliest English Origin.
The following is taken from a 1930's newspaper clipping that I have:
John Pepes holds of the said Prioress one plot and half a rood by rent to
her of eightpence, and three fisheries of the value of three pence, and
the same Prioress holds them of her own.
- Translation by WCP from the Rotuli Hundredorum (Edw. 1., 1273)]
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COMPILED GENEALOGY:
Note: I have standardized all names to "Pepys" even though this did not become the norm until the later 1700s, For the later lines of Peeps/Peaps/Peapes etc.,, I have kept to the most consistent spelling from records.
Overview of Genealogy, various family lines that at present cannot be linked into one. Names shown without links are included in the main genealogy. The families and lines that have their own links are separate files at present.
A.
Thomas Pepys, born abt. 1389, Cambridgeshire
(apocryphal) |
-----John Peppes of Branktree, Essex abt.1462 |
--- ---Pepys born about 1645, of Dublin, Ireland |
------------George
Peeps, born about 1690, of Lynn then Brancaster |
---------------- Charles Pepys born about 1718, of Jamaica/Barbados |
Amendments/Additions/Comments (included are a description of differences between my findings and the published genalogies):
Thomas Pepys abt.1389 and Robert Pepys abt. 1440 are mentioned in some early genealogies, but there is little to verify them, so they must be considered apocryphal. William Pepys of Cottenham abt. 1464 is the earliest Pepys who is well established in records.
John Peppes of Branktree abt. 1462 is a contemporary of William of Cottenham but it is not known if they are brothers.
Richard Pepys abt.1512 is shown as 4th son of Robert abt.1440 in the Visitation of Norfolk, but parish registers would support all other authors who place him as son of Thomas abt.1490
William Pepys abt.1524 of Cottenham, son of William Pepys abt 1494 of Cottenham; married Alice Smith of Wighton, Norfolk. Curiously there appear to be no records of this line in Cottenham until a William who had children from 1609 in Cottenham. Parish records show a generation length gap between these Williams. However, there are indications of the possible history of this William There is a William Pepys who had children in South Creake records in the 1540s. It is hard to account for this William without positing another line from the previous generation. And there is a William Pepys of Yaxham who had a son Robert born about 1649, and William Jr. born about 1561. William Jr. was surrendered property by his father in 1599 and who surrendered the property in Yaxham in 1606, just a few years before the reappearance of a William in Cottenham records as above. The names of the children born after 1606 are the same as the children of William III given in genalogies but the dates would indicate another generation in between. Although very strong almost compelling circumstantial evidence I hesitate to make the connection without a more definite piece of evidence, but sadly no will has yet come to light. (see below for more information on these Williams).
Richard Pepys of Brisley abt.1584 married Frances is shown by Edwin Chappel as a second marriage of Richard Pepys who married Maria Pleausance, but the date of Maria's will and probate would conflict with the marriage and baptism records in Brisley of children of Richard and Frances. I show this Richard abt.1584 married Frances as son of Richard Pepys abt.1544 and Amy Shreve.
Richard Pepys abt.1589 is said to be son of William Pepys and Lucy Thurlow and to be Richard of St. Bartholomews, is said to be the Richard that married Ann Saunderson and Jane. However, the dates of children's' baptisms suggests another generation is missing. Deeds of Burnham that mention Richard Pepys Sr. and wife Mary suggest that Richard of St. Bartholomew could be son of Richard Pepys who married Maria Pleasusance which would explain the following deeds: "4 April, 1650. It was found, 19 Car. I., that W. Pepys surrendered to the use of Richd. Pepys his son. Now comes said Richard, by William Thurlowe, gent., his attorney, to be admitted to premises which the said Wm. Pepys took up, 10 Oct., 3 James I., on the surrender of John Boston, gent. 8 Oct. 1661. Tho. Thurlowe surrendered premises to the use of Richard Pepys, sen. Same Court. Richard Pepys surrendered to the use of himself and Mary his wife, and their heirs".
WCP showed Thomas Pepys the Younger, the Red to be the grandfather of Samuel Pepys. Evidence is that the g-father of Samuel was Thomas Pepys the elder. The will of John Pepys clearly indicates both Thomas Pepys the elder, the black and Thomas the younger to be alive and have issue. Parish records differentiate the children of Thomas and Kezia and Thomas and Mary.
WCP identified John Pepys son of Nicholas and Jane as having married Elizabeth Spilman in 1694 Great Yarmouth. Marriage bond identifies him as John Pepys of Norwich aged 30 which would seem to identify him as John son of William Pepys and Mary Greenwood (see below).
Richard Pepys the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland married (2) Mary Gosnold. Although Mary's baptism seems to be missing from the records the various wills confirm that her father was Bartholomew Gosnold. There is a marriage record of Mary Wincoll and Richard Pepes in Horringer in 1638. Mary Pepys refers to her 'son Wincol his heyres' in her will. (Notable members of this family have been recorded as Wyncoll). Mary refers to a watch of her husband's bearing the Wincol arms which would seem to suggest that her former husband was part of the notable family. Mary's mother nee Goldinge had married (2) Jasper Sharpe and refers to her father in law Jasper Sharpe in her will. Jasper Sharpe refer to his daughters 'in law' including 'Mary now the wife of Richard Pepys esq.". Richard Pepys may be the origin of a Pepys family that appears in Irish records a generation later (see note below).
Not linked in published genealogies:
Richard Pepys abt.1642 of St. Clement Norwich, married to Frances is not linked as yet. Circumstantially could be connected to Richard Pepys and Frances of Brisley (see above).
William Pepys 1628 who married Mary Greenwood is identified in marriage bond as William Pepys of Norwich. Son of William Pepys abt. 1587 and Peace. According to marriage bond this is probably the same William Pepys (wid.) who married Mary Fletcher (wid.) in 1669 in St. Saviours Norwich. This is father of Isaac Pepys 1666 Vintner of Norwich, brother of John Pepys who married Elizabeth Spilman, thus explaining in the will of Elizabeth: "Elizabeth Pepys of Yarmouth Widow. My Kinswoman Ann Pepys of Norwich, spinster, daughter of Isaac Pepys, vintner deceased."
Thomas Pepys est.1627 of Norwich who married Ann Wheatley is identified in marriage bond as Thomas Pepys of Brisley. This would seem to indicate that he is son of Richard Pepys rector of Brisley and Frances (see above). Although he does not appear in Richard's will the will may not be comprehensive as it mainly assigns the MSS that he received from his nephew Richard Pepys of Lynn to his son Samuel. The residue of his estate to his wife Frances. Thomas was married a few years after this.
John Pepys 1655 of Norwich, married Elizabeth Barnfather is son of Thomas above. Father of John Pepys of Norwich Public Notary, and Frances Pepys of Norwich.
A Pepys of Dublin had at least two children. Captain Arthur Pepys born estimated 1667 his marriage and children in London. His son Urmston had military career. Arthur Pepys refers in his will to his brother John, who may be the John recorded as 'quartermaster of Athy' in Prerogative wills of Ireland.. It is possible that he is one of the children of Richard Pepys the lord chief justice of Ireland (see note above). Or perhaps a Pepys by 'adoption'. It seems odd that such a notable family would have been missed form the published genealogies. There are no grandchildren mentioned in the wills of Richard or his wife Mary. John was married, but he and his wife died young. Samuel was living in Dublin in 1659. It is possible that he married and had children in the 1660's.
George Peeps abt 1690 of Brancaster, the ancestor of the surviving Peeps/Pepys of Norfolk is still not linked. His marriage bond identifies him as 'of Lynn', but he does not appear in the records of the families of Lynn. One would expect him to be most likely the son of Thomas Pepys of South Lynn and Susanna Butcher but if so then the parish records may be incomplete.
Samuel Pepys (Peeps) 1695 son of Captain John Pepys and Elizabeth Spilman is identified as the Samuel who married Ruth Cooper in South Walsham in 1716. His brother Granger although said to be born in Great Yarmouth in 1700 has not been found in local records. As 'Granger' is sometimes substituted for 'George' this is another possible link to George Peeps of Lynn and Brancaster (see note above).
For many of the puzzles resolved I have to thank Naomi Haworth - but any errors are mine.
On the trail of William Pepys of Cottenham
A. William Pepys abt 1464-1519 married Margaret m.bef. 1490
-1519 will: "To William Pepis my son when 21."
AA. William Pepys abt 1494 married Alice m.abt. 1523
-1521 will of Thomas Pepys (son of William 1464) "To John Pepes and William
Pepes my kind bretheren."
-1541 will of John Pepys (son of William 1464): "To my brother William
Pepys. To my sister his wife. To William Pepys his son. To John his son. To
Thomas his son. To Richard his son. To Robert his son. To Kateryn Pepys his
daughter."
AAA. William Pepys abt.1524-
Talbot Pepys b.1583 wrote:
"A noate written out of an oulde booke by my uncle William Pepys"
"William Pepys who died in Cottenham 10 Henry VIII (1519) was brought
by the abbot of Crowland in Huntingdon, and he was born in Dunbar in Scotland,
a gentleman whom the said Abbot did make his bayliffe of all his lands in
Cambridgeshire, and placed him in Cottenham in Cambridgeshire, the which William
aforesaid had three sons."
"1 Thomas, . John, 3 William. to whom Margarett was mother naturlallie."
"1 And this Thomas Pepys had in Cottenham - Richard and Nicholas, who
died a student in London. "
"Richard had issue - Richard who had issue at Burnham), Nicholas, William
(who had issue), all born at Burnham Westgate in Norfolk."
"2 John. had issue. Thomas Pepys in Southcreake in Norfolk, who had issue
Fermer and John"
"3. William had issue in Cottenham (me) 1 William, 2 John, 3 Robert,
4 George."
"All of which have issue 17 Feb 1613"
1589 Will of John Pepys abt 1526 son of William 1524: "To William Pepys
son of my brother William Pepys."
It is not clear to me if the date of 1613 is William or Talbot. If Wiilliam then it does not fit with the date of death of William below in 1599. But it seems more likely that this is the date of Talbot's writing, then we assume that William's original was written before 1599. I suggest that William may have moved back to Cottenham, but his children remained in Yaxham, hence the abscence of Cottenham records for this line.
South Creake Baptisms of sons of William
George 1543
Roger 1544
Yaxham (dates estimated from indications in deeds below)
Robert abt 1549
William 1561
Musters Yaxhm, 1569, 1572, 1574, 1577. - William Peaps gent.
Whinburgh on the part of Yaxham.
1566 -20 Oct"-, 8'^ Eliz., Burnham. - Bargain and sale by William Pepys
of Yaxham, gentleman, to Faunces Cobbe of Burnham West- gate, of messuages,
lands, tenements, &c., at the Staithe in Burnham Norton, and other houses
in Burnham Norton, and all his lands, tenements, &c., in Burnham Norton,
Burnham Westgate, and Burnham Depedale. - R. 42 and in d.
1574 Wm. Pepes admitted in the surrender of John Curle and Wm. Curle.
1574 Inquisito ex part Yaxham. Will'ms Pepes gen. Wm Pepes surrendered copyhold
in Yaxham, late of Henry Hastings, and which he had on surrender of Giles
Hastings [1567] apparently to Robert Pepes his son in fee.
1577 The said Robert Peapes surrendered the property which he was addmitted
to in [1574] late Henry Hastings on the surrender of Wm Peapes to the use
of the said Wm. Peapes in fee.
1578 Wm Pepys gent of Yaxham was Lord of the Manor of Cursons, Jartriggs,
Repps and Ileys now commonly called the Manor of Yaxham hall.
1579 The above copyholds, to which Wm Pepys gent was admitted on the surrender
of the said Robert Pepys were regranted to the said Wm Pepys and Eliz. his
wife and heirs of the said Wm.
1584: 20 May, 2&^ Eliz., Yaxham, &c. - Conveyance b}^ William Pepys
of Yaxham, gentleman, to Gregorye Pagrave of Thuxton, gentleman, of thirteen
acres of meadow in Yaxham, and the manor of Yaxham called Yaxham Hall, or
Yaxham Cursons, Jerbgs, Reppes, and Ilneys, with the rights, liberties, and
members, in Yaxham, Whinburghe, West- fild, Estdereham, and Matteshall, and
rents issuing from lands, &c., in the same parishes ; excepting the site
of the said manor and lands, pastures, &c., containing eighty acres in
Yaxham and Whinburgh, and other exceptions. - R. 81 and in d, and R. 82.
1599 The death of Wm. Pepys gent. presented and Wm Pepys admitted as his son
and next heir and of full age.
1606. John Maydewell, clerk, admitted on the surrender of the said Wm Pepes
the son, described as of Yaxham gent. and dated 31 Aug 1606.
It is suggestive that a Robert Peepes married Barbara Hulluck before 1599, and had a child Robert in 1601 in Linton, Cambs.
Cottenham records Baptisms sons of William ('Wm Pepes the son') or another
generation on - i.e. perhaps it is the son of 'Wm Pepes the son' who had children
in Cottenham after 1606.
Robert 1609
Frances 1610
Eleanor 1610/11
Richard 1511
George 1612/13
Sarah 1614
Revised:
January 12, 2013 12:49 PM
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