Whelpton Family History

Perhaps from West Whelpington or Kirkwhelpington (Northumb) with loss of the -ing-. The place-name is recorded as Welpinton in 1182 and derives from an Old English personal name *Hwelp + Old English connective -ing- + tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

The surname may share an origin with Whelton which is also at present a name of Lincs. There is scope for confusion of both surnames with Wheldon a variant of Wheeldon which like Whelpton is associated with Chester le Street (Durham).