The history of the Happingghan family name begins after the Norman Conquest
of 1066. They lived in Norfolk
. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest
in 1066, Herpingham,
Early Origins of the Happingghan family
The surname Happingghan was first found in Norfolk
where they were conjecturally descended from Roger Bigod, one of the most distinguished of all Norman nobles, who was granted the lands by King William, Duke of Normandy
after the Norman Conquest
in 1066 A.D, and was a junior branch of the Bigots. The village of Erpingham or anciently Herpincham consisted largely of a church and cottages, and was recorded in the Domesday Book
in 1086. "The church, which is in the decorated and later English styles, with a lofty embattled tower, was repaired in 1841; in the south aisle is a brass effigy of a knight in armour, to the memory of Sir John de Erpingham, a great contributor towards the erection of the church." CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Happingghan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Happingghan research.Another 173 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Happingghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Happingghan 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 Happingghan family name include Erpingham, Erpincham, Herpingham, Herpincham, Empringham and many more.
Early Notables of the Happingghan family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Happingghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products
and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Happingghan family to the New World and Oceana
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 Happingghan family to immigrate North America: Thomas Erpingham settled in Barbados in 1685.