SHIPP
Shipp is a surname of English derivation, originating from the Old English term scip, which translates to “ship.” The name functioned as an occupational identifier, applied to individuals who worked on or were associated with seagoing vessels; this included sailors, shipbuilders and occasionally shipowners.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname appears in the Cheshire Assize Rolls of 1288, where Roger del Schipp is documented during the reign of King Edward I, the monarch commonly referred to in historical annals as “The Hammer of the Scots.” This early spelling demonstrates the English linguistic practice of the period and indicates the family’s presence in the North West of England.
Mention is also made of the name in the early 13th and 15th centuries. In 1230, an individual named Ralph at Shippe is recorded in the city of Bristol, while a 1423 entry from London lists Richard Stonham atte Shippe, located outside the City of Covent Garden. Both entries reveal a topographical use of the surname, relating to dwellings or taverns marked by a ship’s sign.
Marriage and christening records from the late 16th and early 17th centuries provide further evidence of the name’s usage. On 30 July 1597, Thomas Shipp was married to Margett Harvey at St. Giles’, Cripplegate. In 1633, the christening of Isaake Shipp, son of Mathew and Ann Shipp, took place at St. Andrew’s, Holborn.
In 1635, a man named Jefferie Ship is recorded as an emigrant to the New World colonies, departing London on the so‑called “Expedition” bound for the Barbadoes, illustrating the surname’s appearance in early transatlantic migration.
By the late twentieth century, the surname had disseminated beyond its English origins. In the 2000 United States Census, approximately 6,500 individuals were listed under the name, ranking it as the 13,782nd most common surname in that country. In Britain, the surname appears as the 6,242nd most common name nationwide and the 1,238th most common in Scotland. Smaller populations bearing the name can also be found in Canada, Australia, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands, a distribution that aligns with patterns seen in other Anglo‑Saxon derived surnames.
Numerous spelling variants exist, reflecting regional dialects and historical orthographic practices. These include Ship, Shippe, Shippey, Shippie, Shippy, Schippe, Schippey, Schippie, Schippy, Schepp, Scheppe and others. The evolution of these forms is consistent with the shift from Old English scip to Middle English schip, and later to modern English with hybrid influences from Germanic and Scandinavian languages.
These records and attestations confirm that the surname Shipp is firmly rooted in English linguistic and occupational history, having evolved over centuries while preserving its original association with maritime endeavours.
Typical given names associated with the Shipp surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- David
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Alison
- Ann
- Deborah
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Janet
- Jean
- Joanna
- Linda
- Lisa
- Margaret
- 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 Shipp in...
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There are approximately 2,455 people named Shipp in the UK. That makes it roughly the 3,563rd most common surname in Britain. Around 38 in a million people in Britain are named Shipp.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Shipp
- Alexandra Shipp - American actress
- Simon Shipp - Cricketer
- Ellis Shipp - Rugby union player
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.