The Coppedge Family of England
Until the migrations of early members of the Coppedge family can be traced with certainty, there will continue to be difficulty in ascertaining which coat of arms in use among early members of the family is the one to which American Coppedges and Coppages are properly entitled.
Three escallop shells, according to an old tradition current among English Coppages, was the original shield. George Edward Vernon Cuppage, with whom and his widow on the Isle of Jersey our Association has had much correspondence, was of the opinion that "A chevron between three trefoils slipped impaling a saltire and a chief with Crest, a griffin's head erased, and motto, 'Esse Quam Videri' (To be rather than to seem)" was the proper coat. He belonged to the Irish Cuppages, who descend from Faustus Cuppaidge, a wanderer to Erin's shores from Germany. They have long borne
Arms: Argent a fess between three garbs gules. Crest: A sundial argent.
The records of Koenigsberg University in Germany show two brothers of the noble family of Coppetsch from Drengfurt, a small town in the vicinity of Rastenburg, East Prussia: Johann Coppetsch (born 7.2.1623) was a Student of Koenigsberg and Benedikt Coppetsch (born 1.1.1620) was a Master of Theology there. This family, belonging to the East Prussian nobility, was entitled to coat armor, but unfortunately the armorials and memorials of Drengfurt have long since been defaced and destroyed in the many wars between Slav and Teuton which have raged in the area. Perhaps in some old German roll of arms the Coppetsch shield can yet be found; it is to be hoped that it will match one of the three blazons set forth above, thus confirming the migration from Germany of early Coppetsches to the British Isles. However, the oldest records available indicate that the original home of the Coppedges was in England. They appear to have been Saxons with names like Osmond, Eadweard, and Cuthbeorht long after the Norman Conquest and to have embraced early the Protestant faith of the Reformation. Some remained in England, occupying responsible ecclesiastical positions; others migrated to Germany to drink deep of Protestant founts at the source of the Lutheran religion. From Germany some migrated to Ireland, becoming part of the great movement to convert the Emerald Isle to Protestantism. In the colonization of America the Irish Cuppages came to Pennsylvania and their descendants, the Cubbages, filtered down the Valley of Virginia and through the gaps as far as Georgia; the English Coppedges migrated to Tidewater Virginia and Maryland.
As to the spelling of the name, the form most usual in the United States is Coppage. Since the 1500's it has not been unusual to find the same individual signing his name on some occasions "Coppage" and on others "Coppedge." The latter spelling is generally regarded as the more ancient form of the name. Both in Virginia and in England the spelling "Coppidge" is often encountered.
There are three main theories as to the origin of the name: first, that it began as Cup-Page, the cupbearer to the King; second, that the early bearers came from Corbridge, the old Roman fortress of Corstopitum in Northumberland; third, that the original Coppedge came from the forest of Coppedhegge in Buckinghamshire, England. For reasons too numerous to give in detail, the authors believe the first theory fanciful, the second unlikely, and the third correct. It is unlikely that the letter "D" would ever have entered a name so simple of understanding as "Cup-Page"; it is equally unlikely that two "R's" would have disappeared from Corbridge, when the simple Saxon word "Bridge" has retained the "R" for over a thousand years. Applying the laws of Grimm and Windisch to the word "Coppedhegge" it is easy to see that "Coppedegge," "Coppedge," "Coppidge," "Copegge," "Coppage," "Cabbidge," "Cabbage," and ultimately "Cappage" and "Capys" result. All except the last spelling have been encountered to date in research on the name. Standard forms in the U.S.A. today are Coppage, Coppedge, and Coppadge.
"Copedehecg" in Anglo-Saxon conveys the idea of "topped forest" or "forest on a rise." Briefly, "Cop" means "Top" and "Hecg" means "Forest" (though more generally, "Limit" in the sense that a hedge marks a boundary). The small forest of Coppedhegge may have marked the boundary between Buckingham and Oxford; in the perambulation of 1298 of Bucks. Mention is made of only three inhabitants in the entire wood - all doubtless our ancestors. Later the Forest of Coppedhegge was incorporated by the Norman Lords of the chase in the Royal Forest of Bernwood, a remnant of which still exists.
Picture then, successive generations of Anglo-Saxon forest dwellers, hard by Edward the Confessor's Royal Palace of Brill, living obscurely in a Norman land until the clarion call of the Reformation summoned them out of the woods to man ecclesiastical posts and even to cross the North Sea back to the bourn whence the Saxons first hailed to study theology among the learned doctors of Germany. In the reign of Henry VIII the veil of obscurity lifts, and we find (Patent Rolls, Edward VI, 192):
WILLIAM COPPAGE, clerk, was granted the advowson of Myldenhall, Wiltshire, by
gift of Queen Katherine of England, by her patent of 20 Dec. 1537 (37 Hen. VIII?). In 1547 William Denyson, clerk, received a letter of presentation to Myldenhall, following a release by William Coppage, clerk.
In the Patent Rolls of Philip and Mary we find that JOHN COPPAGE, Clerk, was made Chaplain for life of Manchester College Church in 1556.
Probably William Coppage, Clerk, was the father of the individual who stands at the head of our family, though the two may be one. Under Henry VIII many churchmen were renouncing celibacy and taking wives. The first who can be fixed with certainty in our direct line of Coppedges was:
Generation 1
William Copege (Copegge) – of Queen’s College, Oxford University, 1542. As William
Copage he was supported for the Bachelor of Arts degree, March 1541/2, and
admitted 20 March 1541/2; disp. October & October 1544 as Chaplain of
Queen’s; supported for Master of Arts degree. Michaelmass Term, 1545; inc. 8
February 1545/6; disp. Feb.; Fellow of Queen’s, 1543. Disp. 1544 Queen’s.
Chaplain of Queen’s, causa inopiae. Regent from Queen’s College, February
1545/6. On 3 September 1587 William Copage, Clerk and Vycar of Chadelworth
in Berkshire made his last will and testament witnessed by Adam Bladen and
Thomas Blagrave, proved 12 October 1587. The signature appears as “Willm
Cowpage, Vicar”. The will provides for burial in the Chancel of the Church at
Chaddleworth, with bequests to “our Mother Church of Sarum,” the poor folk of
the parish, and wife Faye and family who follow: Clemance Copage, daughter;
Urselie Copage, daughter; Cuthbert Copage, son; John Coppidge, son; Richard
Coppidge, son.
Generation 2
Richard Coppidge – of Chelworthin Cricklade St. Sampson’s in the county of Wilts,
son, ancestor of all later Coppedges; no parish record or will has come to light for
this Richard. References to his children in the will of his brother, John, coupled
with later wills of Coppidges at Chelworth establishes his place in the line without
question. His wife, name unknown, must have come to Virginia with two of her
sons in 1648/9. In 1649 John Cabbidge pateted land in Lower Norfolk County,
VA., and in 1651 Edward Gradwell of Lynnhaven left a will with bequest to
Henry Brakes and another “house and grounds” to John “John Cubbica” for
himself and his mother. John Cabbidge’s will leaves bequest to Henry Brakes
whose name appears in 1648 along with that of Edward Croppage (Coppedge)
among importations of Lewis Burwell to VA. The logical inference is that
Brakes, Gradwell, and two Coppidges, and their mother all came to VA together
and that Edward Gradwell was brother to Richard Coppidge’s wife and uncle to
Edward Coppedge. At least three of the children of Richard Coppidge must have
been Edward Coppedge, John Cabbidge, and William Coppidge.
Generation 3
William Coppidge – of Chelsworth in the Parish of the Cricklad St. Sampson’s in the
County of Wilts, Husbandman, left will dated 26 December 1682, proved 15
October 1684 mentioning weak body and bequests to son William Coppidge 1
shilling Lawfull Currant money of England to be paid within one year of my
decease; to daughter Joane Coppidge, if she be living, 1 shilling (the tone of these
bequests would indicate that William and Joane were at a distance, possibly in
America); to son Charles Coppidge, 1 shilling; to son Thomas Coppidge, my
dwelling house and out houses belonging to me to possess and enjoy after the
decease of me and of Elizabeth, my now wife, and to him one chest; to daughter,
Judith Coppidge and to Benjamin, youngest son, all remainder of household
goods and implements; to Judith a Holland sheet that was Christening sheet;
executrix, wife Elizabeth; witnesses, Thomas Crinder, Richard Turner.
Generation 4
William Coppedge or Coppage – (ca.1648 – 1700), who came to Virginia about 1662
and made a will dated 24 June 1698, proved 18 Dec 1700, styling himself
“William Coppage, of the County of Northumberland, planter.” It is believed that
his first wife was names Anne, as his will left clothes that were her mother’s to
and only daughter of the name. All 5 of the children were under 21 in 1698. He
married Jane fforest, relative of Alexander fforest. She sold Wold Pitt Neck,
formerly land of Charles Byram, who may have been grandfather or uncle to
William’s children. William’s friendship with William and John Howson, one a
Captain, grandsons of Col. Richard Lee, shows that William was acquainted in
not allied with the highest stratum of society. To each of his sons he left a
separate plantation. As early as 17 March 1679/80 he was assigned 300 acres of
John Hughlett’s land.
Generation 5
Charles Coppedge, Sr. – of Wicomico; granted land in Northern Neck, 1710-1712 (N.N.
Book 4, Va. State Library); mentioned in will of his brother, James in 1736 and
by reference in will of his nephew John in 1745. His wife predeceased him and
her name is not known with certainty, but she was clearly a Lunsford, probably
Lucy, daughter of Sheriff John Lunsford (son of of Willian, son of Sir Thomas).
Tradition has it that William married a Blackwell; either he or John married Miss
Griffin, relative of Alexander. John’s wife was Elizabeth, probably Kenner,
daughter of Capt. Richard Kenner and Elizabeth daughter of Matthew Rodham
(Colonist to Maryland on “Ark” and “Dove” in 1634, aged 13) and his wife Eliz.
Hewitt, daughter of Robert and Eliz. Hewitt of Isle of Kent, Md. The persistence
of the names Rodham and Lunsford, as well as Griffin among Coppedge
descendents bears mute testimony to this marriage. Charles Coppedge’s will
dated 13 May 1750, proved 13 Aug. 1750 was witnessed by Samuel Blackwell
and Moses Lunsford and executors were 2 oldest sons William and Charles. The
testator styles himself “Charles Coppedge of Wicomico Parish, Northumberland
County Va.”
