Introduction

Welcome to my website. This is the start of largely a One-Name Family History web-site which aims to encourage the connection of individuals who have an interest, however small in the names CRIPPEN and CRIPPIN. The exchange of information is welcomed as part of this overall aim.

How it all came about

My interest in Genealogy sprang from a degree of frustration; probably one of the more unusual reasons for delving into one’s Family History. During my early working life, as a teenager and young person, it was not uncommon to be asked "Any relation?". I knew of course that they were referring to the infamous Doctor Hawley Harvey CRIPPEN, who had been convicted of murdering his wife. But I didn’t know the answer! Was I related? There are still occasions when I make a new contact that eyebrows are raised or a comment is made. At least now I have a comprehensive answer to give although I still don’t know if I am………"Any relation".

The title of this site is quite deliberate as there seem to be many unconnected branches of these family names and many unanswered questions.

Are the names CRIPPEN and CRIPPIN two completely different families, without connection?

Name Origin – P H Reaney & R M Wilson

The Dictionary of British Surnames by P.H. Reaney and R.M. Wilson gives two likely origins of the names, these are:

Blazon Of Arms For Crispin

Barry of eight argent and gules, a bordure engrailed sable.

Crest:    A seven headed hydra vert.

Motto:    Dum clarum rectum teneum. - While I hold to glory let me hold to right.

Name Variations

In the United Kingdom, USA and generally across the World, there are currently two common ways of spelling the surname: CRIPPEN and CRIPPIN.

This has not always been the case and, probably because many individuals were unable to write, phonetic spelling was the norm. This gave rise to a variety of options that can be seen below.

Saints

From the origin of the name, according to P. H. Reaney, there are two Saints, CRISPIN and CRISPIANUS or CRISPINIAN.

Occupations and Notoriety

Within the UK family, we have over time, covered a wide spectrum of work in addition to being Saintly! There are also at least two notable US subjects.

Crippen Regional Park

This regional park was established in 1983 through the purchase of the lands from a Mr. Crippen. Part of the agreement was that the Park would bear his name. Located on Bowen Island in the Greater Vancouver area of British Columbia, Canada, Crippen regional park is 240 hectares (600 acre).

These lands were once part of the 1000 acre Union Steamship Company Estates (USCE) which operated between the 1920's and the 1940's. USCE was a popular vacation resort for many years. After World War II, the popularity of the resort declined and was wrapped up in the 1950's. The main part of Union Steamship business was water-based transportation along the coast of British Columbia.

The USCE lands were bought and sold several times before they were acquired by Mr. Crippen. Over the years, about 400 acres were subdivided off and developed primarily for housing, but also some other uses as well, including school, seniors housing, and police station. Mr. Crippen's primary interests were engineering and land development.

I am very grateful to Greg Paris and staff of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Parks Department for providing a wealth of useful information.

For more information and location maps go to:

Crippenden Manor, Kent, England

Crippentown, USA

To those who asked what I know about Crippentown: I quote the following from a short bio contained in Charles F. Sedgwick's 1842 "History of Sharon" (CT)

Robert (Bob) L. Crippen – Astronaut

Robert Crippen was spacecraft commander of STS-7, the second flight for the Orbiter Challenger, June 18-24 1983. This was the first mission with a 5-person crew which included Rick Hauck (pilot), and three mission specialists, John Fabian, Sally Ride, and Norman Thagard. Sally Ride is the only British Female Astronaut.

For more information on Robert Crippen go to:

Locations of the names in the UK & Worldwide

Historically, in England, there are four areas where concentrations of the surnames occur. These appear distinct for two reasons.

1. The name CRIPPEN is found in and around Canterbury, Kent and Central London, a distance of approximately 60 miles and
2. The name CRIPPIN is found in Lancashire and Shropshire.

Freemen

In Corporations, a freeman is a person who has inherited or acquired by adoption, purchase or apprenticeship the rights of a citizen. By the Municipal Corporations Act (1835) persons who had hitherto enjoyed the right of voting were placed on the Freeman’s Roll, whilst those who obtained provoledges by virtue of the act were placed on a sepatate list called the Burgess Roll. The title is now an honorary one.

Taken from - The Family Historian’s Enquire within by Pauline Saul 1995

The earliest records have been taken from the LDS IGI and can be seen in the table below.

In addition to these English locations, family name connections can be found in Canada, the USA and Australia. A number of these are being followed up.

Records Searched and Sources Consulted

Originally created November, 2000, this page was last updated Monday, November 12, 2001.