This surname is derived from an official title. 'the naper,' 'napier,' or 'napper,' from Old French nape, a cloth; the Frenchnappe, a table cloth. Diminutive nap-kin. 'Napet or napekyn': Promptorium Parvulorum 'The over nape schall double be layde': The Boke of Curtasye. Thus the naper or napier had charge of the table-linen; whence also the form 'de la naperye,' corresponding to 'de la paneterie,' 'de le eurerie,' 'de le butterye,' &c. With the intrusive 'i' in Napier, compare the 'y' in Sawyer (Sawer), Bowyer (Bower), or lawyer for lawer.

John le Naper, Close Roll, 43 Henry III.

Jordan le Nappere, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Thomas le Nappere, Oxfordshire, ibid.

John le Naper. Close Rolls

Robert Napparius. Rotuli Litterarum Clausarum in Turri Londinesi.

Walter de la Naperye. Calendarium Genealogicum.

Robert le Nappere, Somerset, 1 Edward III: Kirby's Quest.

1546-7. Edward Napper and Anne Peytoo: Marriage Lic. (London).

1784. Married — The Right Hon. Francis, Lord Napier, and Maria Margaret Clavering: St. George, Hanover Square.

1794. — Henry Rycroft and Jane Naper: ibid.

This surname comes from an office attached to the royal court. In England, in the reign of Henry I, William de Hastings held the manor of Ashele in Norfolk by the service of taking charge of the napery, i.e. tablecloths and linen at the coronation of the English kings. The first record of the name in Scoi id is c. 1290 when John Naper obtained from Malcolm, earl of Lennox, a charter of the quarter-land called Kylmethew (Irving, History of Dumbartonshire, p. 328). This John Naper is included in the inhibition by the bishop of Glasgow directed against Malcolm, earl of Lennoy and his adherents in 1294 (RMP., p. 203) and is doubtless the John le Naper of the county of Dunbretan who rendered homage in 1296 (Bain, II, p. 202). Matheu le Naper of Agheleke (i.e. Affleck in Angus) took the oath of fealty at the same time (ibid., p. 200). Alexander Naper was one of the commissioners for concluding a peace between Scotland and England in 1451 (Bain, IV, 1239), and John Napier (1550-1617), the famous mathematician, was the inventor of logarithms. There have been also several other distinguished bearers of the name within the last two hundred years. For the intrusion of i in the modern form of the name compare Sawyer (Sawer), Bowyer (Bower), etc. Innes (p. 45) says: "There are Napiers in the North vulgarly called Lepers-euphoniae causa." Naiper 1679, Napare 1455, Neaper 1625, Neper 1651, and Napar, Nepare.

( Anglo-French-Latin ) Napery – Keeper [Middle English nap(p)er(e, keeper of the napery or table-linen; Old French naperie, Low Latin naparia, mapparia, napery-department of a household; Latin mappa, a table- napkin: cp. French nappe, a table-cloth] John le Napere.—Hundred Rolls Jordan le Nappere.— do.

“Servant in charge of Napery or Table Linen” in Old French.

(English) One who had charge of the napery, or table linen, in a large household.

An officer in the king's household-the same as Naper. A Scottish legend, however, assigns a widely different origin. In a great battle between the Scots and some enemy, whose nation is not specified, the former were on the point of losing the day, when one Donald, son of the then Earl of Lennox, seized a standard, and rallied the retreating soldiers. This act of prowess changed the positions of the combatants, and resulted in the complete triumph of the Scots. The king on hearing of Donald's bravery, declared that he had NA PIER-no equal; commanded him to assume those words as a surname; and gave him lands in Fife, and the lands of Goffurdor Goosford. This 'mighty pretty story,' though evidently invented to explain the name, was certified to the heralds under the hand and seal of Sir Archibald Napier of Merchistoun, in 1625. It is proper, however, to remark, that the Napiers sprang from the house of Lennox, and that their early members wrote themselves Lenox alias Napier; and it is no derogation of the dignity of this illustrious family to suppose that an earl's son, their ancestor, should have held the office of Napier in the royal household.

King David II, in his wars with the English, about the year 1344, convocating his subjects to battle, the Earl of Lennox sent his second son, Donald, with such forces as his duty obliged him; and coming to an engagement where the Scots gave way, this Donald taking his father's standard from the bearer, and valiantly charging the enemy with the Lennox men, the fortune of the battle changed, and the Scots obtained the victory. After the battle, the king declared that they had all done valiantly, but that there was one among them who had na pier, no equal; he then granted to Douald the lands of Gosfield in Fifeshire, and bade him assume the name of Napier.

It is said that Donald, a son of the Earl of Lennox, for his bravery in battle, had his name changed by the king to Napier. After the battle, as the manner is, every one advancing and setting forth his own acts, the king said unto them, "Ye have all done valiantly, but there is one among you who hath 'Na Pier, '" and the king gave him lands in Fife and Goffurd. The name came, however, from taking charge of the king's napery or linen at the coronation of English kings, an office held by William De Hastings, in the time of Henry I.

Nappator or Napparius. William Nappator, Engl. 1108 (Rotuli Curiae Regis); William le Naper 1180 (Rot. Pip.); Robert le Napier, Engl. 1202 (Rotulus Cancellarii).

The officer of the King’s Household who had charge of the napery or table linen.