This unusual name is of early medieval English origin, and is derived directly from the male given name "Phip", itself a short, pet form of Philip. The ultimate origin of the medieval Phil(l)ip(p) is the Greek given name "Philippos", from "philein", to love, and "hippos", horse; this was the name borne by one of the apostles, and by various other early saints. However, its popularity as a Christian name seems to be due in most part to the widespread medieval romances about Alexander the Great, whose father was Philip of Macedon. That the personal name was extremely popular is evidenced by the great number and variety of derivative names it has generated throughout Europe. The English diminutive and short forms include Philp, Phelp, Phalp, Phill, and Phipp, the latter sometimes found as Fipp(e). Early examples of this name include Henry Phippe, in the Warwickshire Subsidy Rolls of 1332, and Christopher Phipp, "yeoman", whose will was recorded at Chester in 1592. Periana Phipp married Richard Collitts on December 27th 1660, at St. James', Clerkenwell, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Fippe, which was dated 1227,in the "Feet of Fines of Buckinghamshire", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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