. A “descendant of the Guppys of Wiltshire” wrote in Notes and Queries of 24th Oct. 1908 (p. 327) that this is “a Walloon name and was originally spelt Goupé." If so, it must have been a very early importation, as a ‘Nicholas Gopheye’ occurs in a Somersetshire Roll of A.D. 1327-8. Guppy (‘The Homes of Family- Names,’ p. 397) says: "Gupphey or Gup- hay, or Gapphey, was the name of an estate in the Wiltshire parish of Mere, which was in the possession of a family of the same name in the 14th cent. (Collinson’s ‘Somerset,’ Hoare’s ‘Wilts,’ &c.) On this evidence it looks very much as if Guppy were an English place-name of native origin [M.E, hey, hay, Old English haga, an enclosure] On the other hand, Goupy is a French surname, a shortening of Goupil [Old French goupil, a fox; Latin vulpeculus, diminutive Of vulpes, a fox]

Perhaps Old French goupil, a fox.

For Gopil. Ursel and Aufrid Gopil, Normandy 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae); John and Richard Gopil, England c. 1272 (Rotuli Hundredorum).

From the Flemish, Goupy; a personal name.

For nearly four centuries, in fact as far back as the parish registers enable us to trace the name, the principal home of the Guppys has been in Dorset, close to the Somerset and Devon borders, as shown by the wills in Somerset House; several families of well - to - do yeomen bearing this name resided in Halstock, South Perrott, Cheddington, and Frampton, during the 16th and 17th centuries. Pickyeate, Pykeyeate, or Picket, in South Perrott, was the residence of a family of Guppy or Guppie as far back as the reign of Elizabeth, and the name has since been frequent in the South Perrott registers until within the last twenty years. From Dorset the name extended into the surrounding counties of Somerset, Devon, and Wilts, in the last two of which it is now very rare or extinct. A family of Guppy resided at Farway, Devon, from the beginning of the 17th century (perhaps earlier) until a generation ago; to this stock belonged the Guppys of Sidbury Castle in the early part of this century. Somerset has long known the name. Amongst the martyrs of the Monmouth rebellion in 1685 were William and Justinian Guppy, of Taunton, who were transported to Barbadoes, and died both of them on the voyage; whilst Roger Guppey was executed at Bridgwater (Hotten's "American Emigrants;" "Western Martyrologv"). A gentle family of Guppy resided at Chard last century, and to the Somersetshire Guppys belonged the founder of the present engineering firm at Naples. It is remarkable that after nearly 400 years the name yet lingers around its old Dorset homes in Halstock and South Perrott; a few of the name are still to be found in Somerset. The extinct Wiltshire family is referred to under that county.

The Guppys, already referred to under "Dorset," were long established in Wilts, where the name is now extinct. Concerning this Wiltshire family I learn from the Probate Registry that about 250 years ago the Guppys of Wilts were connected with the Guppys of Halstock, Dorset, where the name still remains. Richard Guppey, gent., died in 1639 possessed of Sandridgehill Park, Melksham, Wilts, and of other property in Halstock, Dorset. His descendants last century continued to live in and around Melksham, Corsham, and Seend, and some engaged in the cloth trade. Gupphey or Guphay, or Gapphey, was the name of an estate in the Wiltshire parish of Mere, which was in the possession of a family of the same name in the 14th century (Collinson's "Somerset," Hoare's "Wilts," etc.). Writing rather more than 200 years ago, Aubrey speaks of the Wiltshire Guppys or Gonpys as probably Walloon cloth - makers introduced by Henry VII. Early last century a family of this name settled in New England as cloth - manufacturers, and I learn from Judge Guppey (of Portage, Wisconsin), who hails from this stock, that their descendants have ever since "herded" in that part of the United States.