| ![Show Contents]() Orpen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of OrpenWhat does the name Orpen mean? Orpen is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Orpen family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Orpen family lived in Norfolk. The name, however, is a reference to Erpen, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Early Origins of the Orpen familyThe surname Orpen was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Orpen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Orpen research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Orpen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Orpen Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Orpen, Orbin, Erpen, Arpen, Orpingham, Orpington, Orpin and many more. Early Notables of the Orpen familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Migration of the Orpen family to IrelandSome of the Orpen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Orpen migration to Canada | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Orpen or a variant listed above: Orpen Settlers in Canada in the 16th Century- Edward Orpen, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia sometime between 1598 and 1867
Orpen Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Samuel Orpen, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
| Orpen migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 1Orpen Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- John Orpen, who arrived in Barbados in 1680 with his wife and servants
| Contemporary Notables of the name Orpen (post 1700) | + |
- Raymond d’Audemar Orpen (1837-1930), Irish clergyman, Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert and Aghadoe
- Dr. Charles Edward Herbert Orpen (1791-1856), Irish physician, writer and clergyman, founder of the Claremont Institution for the Deaf and Dumb at Glasnevin, Dublin
- Goddard Henry Orpen (d. 1933), Irish historian, best known for his four volume work "Ireland under the Normans"
- Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen KBE , RA , RHA (1878-1931), Irish-born British portrait painter
- Edward Orpen Moriarty (1824-1896), Australian civil engineer
- Frederick Orpen Bower FRS (1855-1948), British botanist awarded the Gold Medal of the Linnean Society in 1909 and the Darwin Medal of the Royal Society in 1938
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: Veritas vincit
Motto Translation: Truth Conquers.
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