Surname Jopling - Meaning and Origin

Jopling: What does the surname Jopling mean?

The surname Jopling is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is believed to be patronymic, deriving from the given personal name, Jop or Job. The suffix "-ling" may mean "son of" or "little", making the surname Jopling potentially translate to "son of Job" or "little Job". It was common in medieval England for surnames to be derived from personal names, often indicating direct lineage. The surname Jopling appears in historical records from as early as the 16th century in England, especially in northern counties like Yorkshire. Like many surnames, the spelling has varied over time with Joplyn, Jopplin, and Joplin being some variations. Today, the surname is relatively rare and can be found most commonly in Britain, and to a lesser extent in countries of the Commonwealth and the United States. Additionally, there are a few notable people with this surname including figurative painter Joe Jopling, artist Michael Jopling, and film producer Laura Jopling.

Jopling: Where does the name Jopling come from?

The surname Jopling is of Anglo-Saxon origin, deriving from the old personal name "Jobling", a diminutive of "Job". It may have likely originated in areas where Old English was widely spoken, especially northern and eastern England. The name emerged in medieval times, with earliest recorded instances dating back to the 15th century in Yorkshire.

Today, the surname Jopling remains most common in England - particularly in areas such as Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland. There are also notable populations of Joplings in Scotland and Wales. Due to historical patterns of emigration, the name has spread globally and can be found in countries like the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, albeit in smaller numbers. It is worth noting that the distribution is not very dense anywhere, as 'Jopling' is a relatively rare surname overall.

Variations of the surname Jopling

The surname Jopling appears to have a British origin, specifically from England and possibly Scotland. As with many surnames, it has multiple versions and different phonetic spellings which have evolved over centuries due to regional dialects and transliteration from other languages.

Variations of the Jopling surname could include Joplin, Joplyn, Joppline, Jopplin, Joplen, and Joplynne. It could also be that in different countries or languages, the surname has been further modified, such as Jupiter in French or Jupiterilaus in Latin.

The surname might have derived from the male personal name ‘Job’ followed by the common suffix ‘-ling’, meaning ‘son of’ or ‘little’. Thus, other related surnames could possibly include Joblin, Jobling, Joblon, Joblinson, Joblins, and Joblonsson. It's also worth considering other name extensions starting with "Job".

It's important to note that surname origins can be complex and vary widely from family to family, even when the surnames are the same or very similar. Hence, specific genealogical research into individual family lines could reveal other possible variants of the surname Jopling.

Famous people with the name Jopling

• Lawrence Jopling: British economist and Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.
• Harry Jopling: British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the City of York from 1945 to 1955.
• Christopher Jopling: British Conservative Party politician who served as MP for Skipton and Ripon from 1962 to 1983.
• Dane Jopling: Professional race car driver from Detroit, Michigan.
• William Jopling: British author and broadcaster, known for his books The Racing Pyjamas and The Weekend Athlete.
• David Jopling: English cellist and professor of cello at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
• Jonathan Jopling: British actor best known for his roles in films such as The Spitfire Grill and A Knight's Tale.
• Amanda Jopling: British artist specializing in oil painting, watercolors, and printmaking.
• Francine Jopling: Canadian artist who works with photography and video sculpture installation.
• Michael Jopling: British politician who served as Secretary of State for Education and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 1987 to 1989.

Other surnames

Joplin