Scripps History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Scripps

What does the name Scripps mean?

Scripps is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Old English given name Crispin, which derives from a Latin nickname which means curly-haired. 1 Much of the popularity of the name in the early Middle Ages is a result of the popularity of St. Crispin, who was martyred at Soissons in 285 AD.

Early Origins of the Scripps family

The surname Scripps was first found in Oxfordshire where they had been granted the lands of Cowley by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The source Old English Bynames lists the name in the Latin form: Benedictus Crispus c.1030 as the first record of the family. Almost two hundred years later, Walter Crips was listed in the source Early London Personal Names as living there c. 1200. 2 Later the family became well established in Norfolk, where they are to this day well known.

In Norfolk, the family goes back at least as far as the 14th century. "In 1388, Richard Crispe was patron of the living of Cockthorp, to which he presented one of the family; another Richard Crispe was buried in Erenze church in 1517." 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Robert le Crespe in Oxfordshire; Thomas le Crespe in Somerset; and Gilbert le Crispe in Oxfordshire. 1

Early History of the Scripps family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Scripps research. Another 242 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1533, 1599, 1600, 1603, 1625, 1628, 1630, 1643, 1666, 1692, 1749 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Scripps History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Scripps Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Scripps family name include Crisp, Cripps, Crispin, Crispe, Crisppin, Crispp and many more.

Early Notables of the Scripps family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Nicholas Crisp (1599?-1666), English Royalist, descended from a family possessing estates in Gloucestershire and engaged in trade in London; Ellis Crisp (died 1625), Sheriff of London; Tobias Crisp D.D. (1600-1643), an English clergyman and reputed antinomian; and Sir Nicholas Crispe, 1st Baronet (c.1599-1666), an English Royalist and a wealthy merchant who pioneered the...
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Scripps Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Scripps family to Ireland

Some of the Scripps 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.

Scripps migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Scripps family to immigrate North America:

Scripps Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Lida Scripps, aged 50, who immigrated to the United States, in 1911
Nina Scripps, who landed in America, in 1911
Della Scripps, aged 23, who immigrated to America, in 1913
Margaret Scripps, aged 30, who landed in America from London, England, in 1914
Robert Paine Scripps, aged 22, who immigrated to the United States, in 1918
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Scripps (post 1700) +

Edward Willis "E.W." Scripps (1854-1926), American newspaper publisher, founder of The E. W. Scripps Company
John Locke Scripps (1818-1866), American attorney, journalist, and author, first cousin once removed of E.W. Scripps
William Edmund Scripps (1882-1952), American pioneer aviator and the publisher of The Detroit News, founder of WWJ radio, son of James E. Scripps
Charles Scripps (1920-2007), American chairman of the board of the E. W. Scripps Company and grandson of Edward W. Scripps
Anne Scripps (1946-1993), American heiress to the Scripps newspaper publishing and great-great granddaughter of James E. Scripps
Samuel H. Scripps (1927-2007), American philanthropist in theater and dance, grandson of Edward W. Scripps
James Edmund Scripps (1835-1906), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State Senate 3rd District, 1903-04, brother of Ellen Browning Scripps 4
Ellen Browning Scripps (1836-1932), American philanthropist, half-sister of Edward W. Scripps, founder of the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California in 1924
John L. Scripps, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Chicago, Illinois, 1861-65 4
Natalee Scripps (b. 1978), New Zealand cricketer who played one Test and seven One Day Internationals for New Zealand national women's cricket team

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html