About us
Most of the Liptraps in the United States are descended from Isaac Liptrap (1749-1819), who was born in England, baptised 5 Jan 1749/50 at Waltham Holy Cross Church in Waltham Abbey, Essex, 15 miles northeast of London, son of Thomas and Jane Liptrap. He came to Virginia in 1772, and was in Augusta County by 1780. In 1785, he married Mary Bright (c1763-1855) daughter of Georg Adam Brecht, and had 9 children. You may read more details at the website http://jliptrap.us/gen/isaac.htm and see a list of the first three generations of his descendants, male and female, at http://jliptrap.us/gen/liptrap3gen.htm
The origin of Isaac's line is not yet documented, but surely is English, at least as far back as the name has been found - 1575 in Essex, or 1558 in Worcestershire, though with varying spellings. However, according to most family-name etymology books, the name is supposed to be a variation of Liptrot, which is then supposed to have previously come to England from the German "Liebetraut" about 1600, coming from a much earlier "Liobtrut." But Liptrot has been found in Lancashire as early as 1409. And yDNA evidence refutes the claim of a common ancestor. And the R-S6881 haplotype seems to have been Frisian (northern Netherlands) and came with the related Saxons in the AD 400's. See http://jliptrap.us/gen/liptrapname.htm DNA testing continues, and is revealing more about the development of the family from before surnames were adopted. See the blue box on that webpage for the latest information.
The primary purpose of this project is to try to connect with descendants of these earlier generations, to establish the ancestry of Isaac Liptrap. This is complicated by the fact that the name 'Liptrap' is no longer found anywhere in England. But there was a family of Liptraps in Buckinghamshire in the late eighteenth century, who changed their name to Trapp. We have connected with descendants of this family, and perhaps other similar situations will shed light on our ancestry. A tentative chart showing possible connections is at http://www.jliptrap.us/gen/LiptrapChart.htm.
The English line of direct-male-descent Liptraps died out in 1878, with General John Liptrap of India and Kensington, London, leaving only female descendants, not bearing the name, save one. The General's sister Amelia Liptrap, alias Willcox, of Portsea, Hampshire, had a son Robert A Liptrap (1841-1885) whose grandson Robert G Liptrap (1905-1998) emigrated to Ontario, Canada, in 1929, and has descendants there; while grandson P J Liptrap (1908-1984) of London was the last of the name in England, leaving only a married daughter.
A few lines of American Liptraps trace back to female Liptraps, or to widows of Liptraps who had children outside of marriage. And there have been a few name changes and adoptions, in both directions. One of the purposes of this project is to assist those Liptraps who wish to, to trace their biological heritage as well as their family heritage. For most assuredly, if you or your ancestor has ever carried the name 'Liptrap,' you are Family, and you are welcome on this site.
The origin of Isaac's line is not yet documented, but surely is English, at least as far back as the name has been found - 1575 in Essex, or 1558 in Worcestershire, though with varying spellings. However, according to most family-name etymology books, the name is supposed to be a variation of Liptrot, which is then supposed to have previously come to England from the German "Liebetraut" about 1600, coming from a much earlier "Liobtrut." But Liptrot has been found in Lancashire as early as 1409. And yDNA evidence refutes the claim of a common ancestor. And the R-S6881 haplotype seems to have been Frisian (northern Netherlands) and came with the related Saxons in the AD 400's. See http://jliptrap.us/gen/liptrapname.htm DNA testing continues, and is revealing more about the development of the family from before surnames were adopted. See the blue box on that webpage for the latest information.
The primary purpose of this project is to try to connect with descendants of these earlier generations, to establish the ancestry of Isaac Liptrap. This is complicated by the fact that the name 'Liptrap' is no longer found anywhere in England. But there was a family of Liptraps in Buckinghamshire in the late eighteenth century, who changed their name to Trapp. We have connected with descendants of this family, and perhaps other similar situations will shed light on our ancestry. A tentative chart showing possible connections is at http://www.jliptrap.us/gen/LiptrapChart.htm.
The English line of direct-male-descent Liptraps died out in 1878, with General John Liptrap of India and Kensington, London, leaving only female descendants, not bearing the name, save one. The General's sister Amelia Liptrap, alias Willcox, of Portsea, Hampshire, had a son Robert A Liptrap (1841-1885) whose grandson Robert G Liptrap (1905-1998) emigrated to Ontario, Canada, in 1929, and has descendants there; while grandson P J Liptrap (1908-1984) of London was the last of the name in England, leaving only a married daughter.
A few lines of American Liptraps trace back to female Liptraps, or to widows of Liptraps who had children outside of marriage. And there have been a few name changes and adoptions, in both directions. One of the purposes of this project is to assist those Liptraps who wish to, to trace their biological heritage as well as their family heritage. For most assuredly, if you or your ancestor has ever carried the name 'Liptrap,' you are Family, and you are welcome on this site.