Surname Tope - Meaning and Origin
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Tope: What does the surname Tope mean?
The surname Tope is of British origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "top" meaning "hill" or "mound". This suggests that the first bearers of this surname likely lived on or near a hill, and were named in reference to this geographic feature. This form of surname, based on geographic features or places, was quite common and served to identify a person by their location or land features near their home. Variations of the surname include Toop, Tooppe, Toppe among others. It should also be noted that the spelling of surnames evolved over centuries, influenced by factors such as regional dialects and literacy levels, hence the existence of different forms of the same name. Today, the surname Tope can be found in several countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and India.
Order DNA origin analysisTope: Where does the name Tope come from?
The last name Tope is most commonly found in Nigeria, Cameroon, India, Pakistan, Mauritius, and the United States.
In Nigeria, the last name Tope is linked to the Yoruba ethnic group, which is the largest ethnic group in the country. It is one of the earliest settler names in Yorubaland and can be found in many parishes and villages. It is likely derived from the word òpọ̀, meaning "honorary" or "respected".
In India, the Tope surname is associated with cities such as Kolkata, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Chennai. It is associated with the Kayastha caste of Bengali Hindus. The Kayastha caste is a group of educated business professionals who acted as government officials in the era of the Mughal Empire. The name is believed to have originated in the Sanskrit word tapas, which means "fire".
In the United States, Tope is relatively rare. According to the Census Bureau, it was only found in 19 states. It is most common among African American communities, and has Indian, British, and Eastern European origins as well.
In general, the name Tope is most commonly found in West African countries as well as India and the United States, with specific origins differing by location.
Variations of the surname Tope
The surname Tope is of English origin and can be spelled in multiple ways. Variants of Tope include Top, Toop, Toope, Toopie, Topp, Topes, and Toppes. All of these names are derived from the Middle English word "topp," which means "a hill or hilltop."
Other spellings of Tope include Toppe, Topey, Topham, Toppin, Toppane, Toppin, Toppan, Topping, Toppings, Toppings, Tops, Topes, and Topies. All of these variants are phonetic variations of the surname Tope with slight differences.
Alternative surnames of the same origin as Tope include Topliss, Topless, Topples, Tophill, Tooley, Toole, Thophe, Thopey, Thorp, Thorpe, and Thorpess. These surnames are believed to be derived from the Old English words "thorp," which means "village," and "toppe," which means "hill or hilltop."
Overall, there are many different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Tope. This is because the name has gone through a number of phonetic variations throughout its history. Despite the changes, each of these surnames all share the same meaning and originate from the same source.
Famous people with the name Tope
- Master Tope Alabi: A popular Nigerian gospel singer, film music composer, and actress.
- Chris Tope: A renowned American motion picture producer and film director.
- Mallikarjun Tope: Chief Secretary to the Government of Karnataka, India
- Joy Tope: An award-winning British actress known for her roles in television dramas like EastEnders and Holby City.
- William Charles Tope: A Canadian politician who served as the 19th Mayor of Calgary and 28th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
- Jide Tope: A South African composer and musician known for his work in modern jazz.
- Tope Folarin: A Nigerian-American writer who won the 2013 Caine Prize for African Writing for his short story "Miracle".
- Phil Tope: Former American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played ten seasons for the Kansas City Athletics and the Cleveland Indians.
- Cristina Tope: A Spanish-Mexican artist and painter known for her portraits of historical figures and contemporary icons.
- Shola Tope: Nigerian former professional footballer who played for the Nigerian National team and a host of Major League Soccer clubs.