Map of Wales showing where the Pipkin arms are recorded
The Pipkin arms were recorded in Glamorgan, c. 1647.
Glamorgan was the richest part of Wales, with good coastal farmland and Norman castles along it. The families who held those castles kept their land for centuries, and long holding brought recorded arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Wales in this period.
Charles I of England
Sovereign of the period
Charles I of England
1625–1649
Reigning in Wales when the Pipkin arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Wales
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Glamorgan.
Origin & History of the Pipkin Family in Wales
The surname Pipkin is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, likely derived from the Middle English word "pipkin," which referred to a small earthenware pot or vessel. In the context of medieval naming practices, this name was often bestowed upon a person who either made these clay containers or perhaps possessed a short, stout physical stature. By the mid-17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the region of Glamorgan, Wales. Records from 1647 confirm that members of the Pipkin family were settled in this area during a period of significant social and political upheaval in Britain. As the name spread from its early roots, it became associated with local trade and rural life in the Welsh landscape, eventually moving beyond the borders of Glamorgan as family members sought new opportunities in other parts of the country.
Pipkin Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Pippin
A diminutive form of the Germanic name Pepin meaning awe or inspiration.
This name
PipkinA patronymic surname derived from a pet name for Philip or a nickname for a small person.
also spelled
Popkyn
Popkynne
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Glamorgan Archives, Quarter Sessions Records of the County of Glamorgan, 1647
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
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stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
stagPeace and harmony, and one who will not fight unprovoked
