Show ContentsSkipton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Skipton

What does the name Skipton mean?

The ancient history of the Skipton name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the village of Skipton found in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Skipton is a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Early Origins of the Skipton family

The surname Skipton was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire where in the Domesday Survey in 1086 the village was shown as being the "King's Land." Skipton Castle was built by the Normans in the same year, but at the time of the War of the Roses, Skipton Castle was acquired by the Clffords.

Early History of the Skipton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Skipton research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1640 and 1802 are included under the topic Early Skipton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Skipton Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Skipton include Scipton, Sciptone, Skipton, Skiptone and others.

Early Notables of the Skipton family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Colonel Skipton

Migration of the Skipton family to Ireland

Some of the Skipton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Skipton migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Skipton or a variant listed above:

Skipton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • George Skipton, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 1
Skipton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Valentine Skipton, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842

Skipton migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Skipton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • George Skipton, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1850 2
  • Mary Skipton, aged 31, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1850 2
  • Louisa Skipton, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1850 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Skipton (post 1700) +

  • John A. Skipton, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 1964 3


The Skipton 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: Pro patria
Motto Translation: For my country.


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SULTANA 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Sultana.htm
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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