Worldwide One Name Study: POPPLEWELL

Popplewell, from OE popel, either meaning "pebbly soil" + well, or "spring beside the poplar or poplars". -well is a suffix associated with many towns and villages of the limestone country of north Derbyshire and southwest Yorkshire signifying well or spring.

Distribution of the family name in 1881
showing a clear WRY focus, as well as the group who migrated to London and Essex.

At the time of the Domesday Book (1086) the area was thought to be waste land (William I, The Conqueror, of Normandy, in his "harrying of the North" laid waste to Cleckheaton & Heckmondwyke), however it was mentioned as part of the village of Scholes in 1228, part of the greater Wakefield area. Scholes is a Viking name (dating back to no earlier than the year 900) and therefore later than the OE name, suggesting the site to be inhabited earlier. Both High Popplewell and New Popplewell are on the western side of Scholes village, against Hartshead Moor, West Yorkshire.

Today, little remains of these two small hamlets and they are only remembered by Old Popplewell Lane & New Popplewell Lane off the B6120 leading south out of Scholes, as well as the family name. Scholes is now part of South Bradford, West Yorkshire.


Above: From New Popplewell Lane looking down Scholes Lane	Above: New Popplewell Lane off Scholes Lane

Above: Old Popplewell Lane off Westfield Lane	Above: Scenic end to Old Popplewell Lane
Photos courtesy of Cynthia POPPLEWELL (pictured)

The earliest mention of the place is in the 1228 register of the Archbishop of York, Walter de GRAY, which reads "Confirmation of the grant of corn-tithes of Hulm, Ricrof, Sculebroc, Scales, and Poplewell, made by Richard, parson of Birstall, to Henry de HORBIRI, clerk, till he gets some other benefice." In 1254 the area including Scholes had no more than 14 families (est. total population of 70). Thomas de Poplewell lived at Heaton Black in 1311. It is possible today's POPPLEWELL families are descended from one family or a small group of unrelated families living in the same area. DNA tests of potential distant male relatives may reveal whether families are related.

The Wakefield Court Rolls reveal a John of Popelwelle (1316; who was pardoned) and John of Popilwell (1323: whose wife Johanna de GOLDALE stole a calf from Agnes de la MERE and was to be taken). In 1338 there is a mention of Poplewell Charity in the records of Raistric Brighouses. One of the residents, Thomas de POPLWELL, was a freeman as he was only one of five men paying taxes in 1347.

In the C16th, when the village name had been adopted as a surname, there was a Thomas POPPELWELL (1539; elected constable of the township of Fixby) and a Thomas POPLEWELL (1551), who may be ancestors of the family. In 1542, the Will of Sir Robert NEVILLE of Liversedge mentions his lands "in Hie Popilwell, Scoles and Clackeheton." The important house at High Popplewell was held by Matthew NEVILLE but occupied by George NEVILLE in 1578. The small barn adjacent the farmhouse at High Popplewell bore the date 1567.

Thomas POPPLEWELL is a churchwarden re. accounts 29.11.1727 (probably St. Peter's at Hartshead), and an apprentice John BROOK, was put to William POPLEWELL of Church House in 1741. A Samuel POPPLEWELL is mentioned re. accounts for Church & Poor in 1777. Popplewell Charities (John, Ann & Rebecca) are mentioned in 1820 & 1832. The Charities were still in use in 1894.

If you bear this name, you are almost certainly part of the many emigrant families that have been traced back to this C17th area of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England (this may also include those with the name variants of POPELWELL, POPLEWELL, POPPELWELL, POPPLEWEIL, POPPELL, POPPERWELL and POPWELL). However, although many families stayed in the Yorkshire area, the records show that the name also moved further afield quite early on. For example, in England the name is recorded in late C15th Lincolnshire (likely migration through the intervening Yorkshire East Riding), mid C16th London (unsurprisingly), C17th Nottinghamshire, mid C18th Essex, and early C19th Birmingham. Internationally, the name finds it's way to early C18th US (Virginia, then to Missouri & California), and with further early C19th migrations to both Australia & the US.
Other families, with links, are given below.

- The Norman PINWILL Memorial Archive for the Name of POPPLEWELL -

Bequeathed by my distant POPPLEWELL cousin (3C2R) Norman PINWILL who died on the 29th December 1999. Norman was, for many years, the ONS Co-Ordinator for the POPPLEWELL family name.

I have transferred all his data to computer. Please refer to the Norman PINWILL Memorial Archive Index. All the research material is freely available on this website.

My POPPLEWELL family has been traced back to the C17th neighbourhood, especially the village of Hartshead.

In memory of William POPPLEWELL of Robertown,
Who died on the 3rd day of August 1856 Aged 65 years of age
Sarah wife of the above William POPPLEWELL
Who died on the 29th day of April 1868 Aged 74 years
Also John William POPPLEWELL son of the above
Who died on the 1st day of January 1891. Aged 70 years
Also Martha wife of the above
Who died 23rd of November 1903. Aged 80 years
*********************************************************************
Here was interred the body of John, the son of Thomas POPPLEWELL of
Hartshead
Who departed this life on the 18th December
In the 9th year of his age.
A . D 1741
Also Elizabeth the daughter of John and Fanny WOODCOCK
Who died on January 29th 1847. Aged 11 years 4 months
Also the above mentioned John WOODCOCK
Who died on 3rd June 1847. Aged 47 years
Then glad I'll lay this body down
Thy servant Lord attend
And though my life of memory crowned
With a triumphant end.
Also Fanny wife of the above John WOODCOCK
Who died on June 15th 1880. Aged 86 years
Also Joseph Lee WOODCOCK son of the above.
Who died May 10th 1892. Aged 58 years.
Also John WOODCOCK. Born July 20th 1828.
Died December 8th 1896.
**************************************************************
Here lieth the body of Richard POPPLEWELL Sen. of Church house. who departed
this life on the 3rd day of December 1729. In the 57th year of his age.
Also Abraham ELSWORTH the son of Michael ELSWORTH of Robertown. Who died May
18th 1828. Aged 28 years.
**************************************************************
Here lieth the body of Richard son of William POPPLEWELL of Hartshead
Bachelor who departed this life on the 27th day of May in the 55th year of
his age 1721.
Reader as he so thou must shortly be.
All flesh grim death is subject unto thee.
Thus rich and poor mighty as well as mean.
Time calls and they return to dust again.
Also the body of Thomas POPPLEWELL of Hartshead who died April 28th 1751 in
the 76th year of his age.

Other POPPLEWELL Links (Researchers & Contacts):
[Previous correspondents with Norman PINWILL are kindly asked to get in touch with me and also cross-check the archive]