I am trying to solve a question regarding the Skipwith family, and
would appreciate the expertise of this group. It seems that this
family both in England and Virginia had/has a custom
of using surnames as given names, Fulwar, Peyton, Grey, and Humberston
to name some. Perhaps members of this list could point out other
examples. I am trying to understand when these four surnames first
entered the Skipwith families and began to be used as given names. I
see examples in England and it seems very common in the Virginia
Skipwith family.
1. FULWAR
I saw a marriage between Margaret Fulwar, dau of Richard Fulwar of
Copwood married to Henry Skipwith of Ormesby (d. 07/03/1629). Was
there a large inheritance from this marriage to Margaret Fulwar, or
another reason for the hundreds of years of Fulwar Skipwiths, Fulwar,
etc. that followed? The odd part is that the Virginia Skipwith family
have used the Fulwar name, yet this marriage is to a descendant of Sir
William Skipwith of Ormesby, Sheriff of Lincoln****re (a 1527) first
marriage to Elizabeth Tyrwhit, whereas the Virginia Skipwiths who use
Fulwar as a given name descend from his second marriage to Alice
Dymoke. Is this in error?
2. HUMBERTON/HUMBERSTON/HUMBERSTONE
This family that decends from the Margaret Fulwar and Henry Skipwith
is also where I see Humberston used as a given name. I have seen it
spelled Humberton, Humberstone, etc. I am trying determine if this is
the time frame and branch of the family when this name begins to be
used in the Skipwith family.
The first Humberton I have located so far is the son of Fulwar
Skipwith, 1st Bt. of Newbold Hall, (d c 1678) and his wife Dorothy
Parker. This Humberton Skipwith names his son Fulwar Skipwith.
Does anyone have any insights on how Humberston name came to be used
as a given name within the Skipwith family? Was it picked up during
this time period as a given name, but actually stem from a far earlier
Humberston? I have examples into the 19th C in both England and the
United States of the use of Humberston as a given name. I found
Humberston as a surname and place name in England near the Humber
River, and location of the large Humber Stone.
3. GREY
Is Grey Skipwith 3rd Baronet the first instance of this surname used
as a given name? I would appreciate any earlier examples? Is there a
marriage between the Grey family and this branch of the Skipwith
family that I have overlooked? Was there a different reason that this
given name was used?
4. PEYTON
The marriage between Sir William Skipwith 4 Bart. of Virginia to Sarah
Peyton abt 1702, dau of John Peyton seems to start the use of the name
Peyton as a given name.This when his son William Skipwith (6th Bart)
names his son Peyton Skipwith (7th Bart).
I understand there may be a number of different circumstances that
might result in this naming custom, a marriage into a family with
higher social ranking, a marriage into a family with no male heirs. I
have seen one example in the Littleton family where the mother's
surname was passed down to one son as his new surname. Any insights or
comments on this custom would be appreciated. If anyone has done much
work on the Skipwith families and has specifics on Skipwith marriages
that I have missed, please add them to the discussion. Was this a
common custom in other families as well? Thanks.
Susan
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