PHILP
Philp is a surname of dual ancient heritage, deriving from the Greek *Philippos* and the Scots tradition of adopting Christian given names as family names. The Greek origin, meaning “lover of horses”, reflects the martial character attributed to Philip of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great, and thus has long been associated with qualities of loyalty, strength and a passion for horsemanship.
In the medieval British Isles the name entered England and Scotland during the 11th‑century Crusades when returning soldiers carried it across the Channel. The earliest English record is that of Filippus de Crochesbi of Lincolnshire, dated 1142, where the name appears as a Christian forename. By 1275 the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk name another bearer, William Philip, indicating that the name was now being adopted as a surname.
Scotland recorded the surname slightly later; the first example appears in 1296 for Rauf Phelippe of Berwick, a locality within the mid‑lands. In 1467 Sir James Philp served as curate of Arbroath Abbey, further cementing the name’s presence among the ecclesiastical officials of the region.
Over the centuries the spelling of Philp has diversified. Variants such as Phelp, Phalp, Phelps, Phipps, and Phelops all share the same root and are recorded in parish registers, university matriculations and legal documents. The retention of the initial “Phil” reflects the original Greek form, while suffix changes likely arose from regional dialects and clerical transcription practices.
In contemporary Britain the surname remains a marker of Scottish descent for many families, while in broader contexts it evokes the historical confluence of Greek etymology, Crusader influence and medieval English record‑keeping. The legacy of the name therefore stands as a testament to the enduring links between cultural identity and the historical pathways that shaped it.
Typical given names associated with the Philp surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Richard
- Robert
- William
Female
- Alison
- Ann
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jane
- Linda
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Philp in...
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There are approximately 3,296 people named Philp in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,752nd most common surname in Britain. Around 51 in a million people in Britain are named Philp.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Philp
- Chris Philp - Politician
- Dave Philp - Football player
- Robert Philp - Australian politician (1851 to 1922)
- Peter Philp - Welsh dramatist (1920 to 2006)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.