This interesting and unusual name is a variant of "Waddup", which itself derives from "wardrobe", the name given to an official who looked after the households wardrobe, and was a somewhat high official position. The name itself came from the Old Norman French "warderobe" or the Old French "garderobe", from "warder", "garder", to watch, and "robe". The name is found as Waddrupp, Wadrup, Wadrop, Wardrup and Waddup in Heyford and its surrounding districts in Oxfordshire. The root name was first recorded in the early 13th Century, (see below), while Waddoups, first appears in London Church Registers record the marriage of John Waddopp and Anne Herbigh on January 23rd 1580, at St. Stephen and St. Benet Sherehog. John Waddoppe's son was christened at St. Peter Westcheap, London on December 4th 1586. William Waddrop had sons Symon and Edward christened at St. Botolph Bishopsgate, London on January 1st 1610, and December 27th 1612, respectively. Edmund Waddoups married Mary Ann Ison at Banbury, Oxfordshire on November 5th 1859. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Warderob, which was dated 1210, Registrorum Abbacie de Aberbrothoc (Scotland), during the reign of King William the Lion, Ruler of Scotland, 1165 - 1214. 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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