This rare name is a genuine Anglo-Saxon pre 8th Century topographical name. It derives from the worship of the ancient pagan god "Woden", the most powerful of the gods and recorded today in words such as "Wednesday" or placenames which include Wednesbury, Wednesfield, Wensley and Wodnesdic, now Wansdyke, the great earthwork in Wiltshire. "Wannop" is a derivative of "Wodens Ope", the place of woden. The name development included Margaret Wanup who married John Charvell at St. Brides, Fleet Street in 1640, and Mary Wannop who was christened at Christchurch, Southwark on June 30th 1682 in the reign of King Charles II (1660 - 1685). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Cutbart Wanhope, which was dated 1577, Married Agris Eland at Christchurch, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, "Good Queen Bess" 1558 - 1603. 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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