16390. William Phippen
NOTE: In early years, taking a new surname was common practice among the
gentry. This could be accomplished by Act of Parliament; warrant under the
King's Sign-Manual (writing therein the substituted name), or by ecclesiastical
econcent. By 1650 the name Fitzpen had disappeared from English records,
descendants adopting other spellings, although they appeared to adhere to the
sound. Arms were granted, in addition to Fitzpen, to families of: Thickpenny,
Tipping, Tippen, Tipper, & Tippet, probably more. Some of the well known
Antiquarians stated that in many ancient families there were as many as a
hundred different spellings. Phippen came from Thickpenny.