My study of Jopling, Jobling & variants starts in 1499 with a reference to a Robert Joplyn, who was renting lands in the south of Northumberland in the United Kingdom. The study ranges from historical references to compiled family trees and an almost completed book about the Jopling family.
Jobling was used more often in Northumberland and Jopling in County Durham. Some dropped the `g`, to distinguish one branch from another. In the USA, the spelling is usually Joplin & on the Isle of Wight it is Joblin. New Zealand has a branch descended from the Isle of Wight Joblins & Australia`s largest branch is descended from a Jobling.
I have been informed of many `origins` of the Jopling name, some I have disproved and the one I believe to be correct is that a knickname 'Jop' (the `fool`, as in court jester, from the German) or 'Job' (slow, or `the persecuted one`) stuck somewhere and the offspring had 'ling' added, which means 'little one'.
You have all heard of the famous American Joplins, Janice & Scott. William Jobling is famous as the last man to be gibbetted in 1832. More recently Michael Jopling, who had a long career as a well known conservative M.P became Lord Michael Jopling. Joseph Middleton Jopling was a talented artist & his wife Louise was even more well known.
In the main in the UK the Joplings & Joblings live in Northumberland and County Durham, as they have at least from the fifteenth century. There is a pocket in London, Hull, Norfolk & other places. There are probably more Joplings etc abroad than remaining in the UK. Most telephone directories will have nil to six entries, apart from Northumberland & Durham.
I hold an enormous amount of data, much of which is on my website www.jopling.info. It ranges from hearth tax entries, through apprenticeship records to more recent B.D.M
I am the administrator for a Jopling (& variants) DNA study. To read about it go to www.familytreedna.com/public/Jopling. To join the project, go to the URL below, then SCROLL well down on the page which comes up:-
https://www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.aspx?code=Q12509&special=True
Please take part. Email me for details of free DNA tests.
For more information visit http://www.jopling.info
DNA study: www.familytreedna.com/public/Jopling
TO JOIN- https://www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.aspx?code=Q12509&special=True
For further information, contact:
Mrs Ruth E Jopling
E-mail:
This page last updated 13 January 2012.

This page has been viewed 4101 times.
Profiles of other one-name studies registered with the Guild may be found here.
Page layout © Guild of One-Name Studies 2005
© Guild of One-Name Studies
2007
This page was last modified
13 Jan 2012, 14:41