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LIPTRAP Historically, the Liptraps have been, for the most part, poor people, with little more than a grammar school education. They worked as farmers or laborers, attracting little attention in the communities where they lived. They are among the multitudes of the earth whom historians have ignored. There is no family fortune, no estate in England, no family crest. But for the last 238 years in America, Liptraps have earned a reputation as a decent, God-fearing people. Whether farmer or doctor, merchant or bank vice president, day laborer or university professor, nearly all Liptraps are known for their honesty, sobriety (mostly), and sense of humor. The name Liptrap has always been a source of discussion, and often amusement, by all who encounter it, and especially by those who claim it as their own. Frequently nicknamed "Lippy," Liptraps often find their mail more inventive. The following is a list of some of the variations I have found on mail and on various official records: . Lipard Liptip Libtrap Liptnap Liptrop Lystrap Lapstrap Lipptrap Liptrape LisstrupLiphap Liptmp Liftrah Liptrad Liptrot Lystrop Leaptrap Lipstick Liptraph Leaptrapp Liprap Litrap Lintrap Liptrak Liptrup Hipcrap Leptrape Lipstrap Liptrapp Triptrap Liprat Litrat Lipchop Liptran Liptsap Kiptrap Leptraps Lipthrap Liptrapt Leipstrap Liprop Laptrap Lipcrap Liptrat Littrap Siptrap Leptrups Lipthrop Liptrass Liphthrap Liptah Lebtrad Lipprat Liptray Littrat Tiptrap Sifstraph Liptrack Liptrats Leaplsapp Liptak Leptosp Liptaap Liptrep Liptratt Tiptrop Lightrap Liptraff Luptrap Liptrappe Liptap Leptrap Lipteap Liptrer Limstrap Ziptrap Lyptrit Liptramp Liptraup Liptratsh Liptay Libtrad Lipthap Liptrip Lyptrop Cliptrap Lipatrap Liptrand Liptroup Littlerat Lirtrap Lipgrap Liptrah Siptrass Lifthrop Wilptrap Lipptratt Leptraf Ciatrap . It becomes a challenge to find a Liptrap family in a census record when indexed as "Sifstraph." I watched a school secretary, holding my own drivers license in her hand, type it as "Wilptrap." . It has often been guessed that the name Liptrap originated with an Englishman who either spoke only when absolutely necessary or who had some oral peculiarity. (1) However, while the name is English, its origin is German; and it is not in any way related to the English words lip or trap.The original name was supposedly spelled "Liobtrut" (2) and was one combination of the Old High German liub, meaning beloved or dear (itself coming from the Old English leof) and trut, meaning a friend or sweetheart (also the origin of the word "true").(2) The combination could mean "dearly loved," "beloved friend," or "trustworthy". (3,4) Variations Liubtrut and Liebtrut are sometimes used as women's given names today in Germany.(5) In the Middle High German dialect, the name becomes Lieptrut, Lieptraut, and even Lieptrap.(5)One surname book said that about 1600, a German protestant by the name of Liebetraut migrated to England, probably to escape religious persecution. (3) This name was apparently too German sounding for sixteenth-century Englishmen to pronounce (LEEB-uh-trout with a rolled "r"), and it quickly evolved into Libtrot and Liptrot.(3) However, Parish records of Chorley, Lancashire, show Liptrots as early as 1552 (records started in 1548). Liptrapp is considered a derivation of Liptrot,(3) and was in existence in England by 7 October, 1574, when Nicholas Liptrape was listed in the will of Thomas Clarke, fisherman, of Barking, Essex. And Margaret Lyptrope, filed her will at Claynes, Worcestershire, in 1558. So the 1600 date has to be questioned, and with it the German origin. But for the time being, this is the best explanation for the etymology of the name.In Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England, there is a "Liptraps Lane"; and just north of the same city, there is a "Liptraps Farm." One hundred miles southeast of Melbourne, Australia, there is Mount Liptrap (elevation 562 feet) on Cape Liptrap, named by Lt. James Grant, Captain of the Lady Nelson in December, 1800, for his friend John Liptrap of London, whiskey distiller and patron of the arts. A light house was built there in 1913. There is a French vacation rental home in Touraine, two hours southwest of Paris called "Pamoja Touraine-Liptrap" built by a transplanted Australian who grew up on Cape Liptrap, and describes it as "a magical place - big open wild Australian coastal nature." There is a mention of a "Captain Liptrap" in a fictional novel about the 1857 Indian Mutiny, In Times of Peril, A Tale of India, by George Alfred Hinty (1832-1902). This book apparently survived one uncopyrighted printing about 1890. Whether fiction or not, there was a Captain John Liptrap (1796-1878), born at Mile End, London, who was in the Bengal Army. He was Captain from 1831 to 1850. As Lieutenant Colonel in 1857, he four times brought back men of the 45th Native Infantry when they had mutinied. He was promoted to Major General 22 Aug 1865, and to General 1 Oct 1877. He appeared in the British Census of 1871 in St Mary's, Chettenham, Middlesex, and died at Kensington, London, on 21 Sep 1878. Elizabeth Liptrapp, daughter of Edward Liptrapp of Tinbly, Leicestershire, in central England, was indentured to John Moore, merchant of London, for four years' service in Maryland on August 2, 1684. Her age was given as "about 21 years" and she signed by mark. (7) This is the earliest record connecting the name of Liptrap with the New World, but it is unknown whether Elizabeth actually came to America, nor how she, or her father, may have been related to other Liptraps in England.Two families by the name of Liptrap have been founded in the New World. Isaac Liptrap (1749-1819) came to Virginia in 1772, as described later, married and raised nine children to found the Liptrap Family in Virginia. Robert George Liptrap (1905-1998) emigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1929; married, and raised two sons to found the Liptrap Family in Canada. This website concerns primarily the Liptrap Family of Virginia. There were several Thomas Liptraps in London, Middlesex, Kent, Buckingham, and Worcester in the late 1600's and early 1700's. (See the information I have accumulated on the Liptrap Family in England.) Which one of these (or their son Thomas) moved to Waltham Abbey, Essex, about 1747, I do not know. But four of his children were baptized at Waltham Holy Cross church there, including "Isaac Leaptrap" on 5 January 1749/50 .(6)(12) His wife Jane was buried there 3 Feb 1758;(12) and Isaac was then apparently apprenticed to the father of John Dutton, and/or the uncle of John Allen, as they each said in 1772 that they has known him as a child.(8) "Thomas Lipthrap" was returned by Parish authorities from London to Waltham Abbey in Dec 1785 to receive a parish pension of 2 shillings per week from the Overseers of the Poor.(13) The last payment of 12 shillings 6 pence on 10 Jan 1792 may have been for a doctor or medicine, or anticipating burial expenses. Thomas was buried 20 Jan 1792.(12)In January of 1772, Isaac Liptrap, age 22 but recorded as 19, appeared the East End of London.(8) Isaac was persuaded to emigrate to better prospects in America and sailed aboard the ship Tayloe in July, 1772,(9) under Captain Dougal McDougal. He landed either at Annapolis, Maryland, or along the Rappahannock River in Virginia, where the Tayloe Family supplied laborers to the iron works. (11) But by September of 1780, Isaac was living in Rockbridge County, Virginia.(10) |
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. References: (1) Suffolk Surnames, N. I. Bowditch, London, 1861, page 156 (2) Surnames of the United Kingdom, Henry Harrison, London, 1912, v. 1, p. 273 (3) Surnames, Ernest Weekley, E. P. Dutton & Co., 1916, page 327 (4) Personal and Family Names, Harry Alfred Long, London, 1883, page 246 (5) Deutsche Vornamen mit Stammvőrterbuch, Alfred Baß, Leipzig, 1969, page 139 (6) Prior to 1752, in England and her colonies, New Years Day was March 26. So the day . . .after March 25, 1604, was March 26, 1605. Thus March 5, 1604 "old style" is the same . . .as March 5, 1605 "new style." The date is now commonly written March 5, 1604/5 (7) Some Early Emigrants to America, Crego Nicholson, Baltimore, 1965, p. 56 (8) The Proceedings on the King's Commission of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and . . Gaol-Delivery, S. Bladen, London, 1772, Number 4, pages 157-159 . . TRANSCRIPT (9) Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, P. William Filby, 1981, Cale Research. (10) List of Tithables, Charles Campbell's Company, Rockbridge County, Virginia, 1780, . . . includes "Isack Cliptrap" (11) Dan Byrnes The Blackheath Connection, a website book (12) Parish Registers of Waltham Holy Cross church, Waltham Abbey, Essex (13) Records of the Overseers of the Poor, Waltham Holy Cross Parish; Essex Public Records Office . |
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