Pipers History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Pipers

What does the name Pipers mean?

An ancient Scottish people known as the Picts were the forefathers of the Pipers family. Pipers is a name for a person who played the bagpipes. "Anciently the name of Pyper was very frequent in Perth, and very Considerable Persons are called by that name in the Charters of the Religious Houses. About the time of the Reformation, the principal Families of that name changed it for Balneaves." 1

Early Origins of the Pipers family

The surname Pipers was first found in at Innerbundy in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland.

However, the family is not exclusively Scottish. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Henry le Pipere, Oxfordshire; and Adam le Piper, Cambridgeshire.

Peter le Pipre, was listed in the Close Roll, 4 Edward I (during the fourth year of King Edward I's reign.)

"Whether this was the Peter Piper who originated the alliterative nursery rhyme, 'Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppercorns,' I cannot say." 2

In Somerset, John le Pipere, and were both listed there 1 Edward III. 3

Much farther to the south in the manor of Liskeard Coleshill was "vested in the Pypers, from whom it passed in marriage with a female heir to the Vyvyans." 4

Early History of the Pipers family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pipers research. Another 303 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1457, 1546, 1547, 1562, 1565, 1567, 1596, 1609, 1610, 1667 and 1672 are included under the topic Early Pipers History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pipers Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Pipers include Piper, Pyper and others.

Early Notables of the Pipers family

More information is included under the topic Early Pipers Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pipers family

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Pipers: Count August Piper who arrived in New York in 1837; James Piper settled in Virginia in 1623; John Piper settled in Barbados in 1675; John Piper settled in Virginia in 1637..

Sources +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print