This very interesting surname is English and locational. It derives either from the village of Whelpington in Northumberland, given as meaning 'the home (tun) of the Cub people (whelp + ing)', or from some 'lost' medieval village, of which the only public reminder in the 20th century, is the surname itself. Many British surnames, estimated at five thousand, do originate from 'lost' villages, so whilst this is an interesting and unusual possibility, it is not entirely unexpected. Locational surnames are usually 'from' names. That is to say that they were given to people after they left their original homes and travelled elsewhere in search of work. The popular destination was London, which for many would be the only place outside of their immediate area, that they had ever heard of. it is not therefore surprising, that as with this name, the most concentrated and accurate recordings are in the registers of the London churches. These recordings include Margarett Whelpton, a witness at the church of St Margarets, Westminster, on September 2nd 1552, Robert Whelpton, whose daughter Awdry was christened at St Botolphs without Aldgate, on March 31st 1632, and Robert Whelpton, who married Amelia Crozier at St Pancras, Old Church, on September 20th 1968.

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