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The Meaning of 'Hipsey'

Extract from an exchange of emails between JH and Peter Hipsey September 2012


Dear Peter
 
Yesterday I visited Pam, a colleague of mine many years ago and who now, sadly, has Parkinson's disease.  However, Pam was surrounded by members of the family: her younger daughter Anna and her partner Stephen, Solomon their 2½ year-old who is shortly to be joined by a new brother or sister; a cousin of Pam's visiting from Australia; Geoff Pam's Son who is mum's main carer; and Holly the aged Alsatian dog.
 
Jeanette chattered on about the imminent launch of www.thehippolady.co.uk and Steve asked JH what was the 'meaning' of 'Hipsey'!  I did recap on the origins of surnames:- Familial Symons - the son of Simon; Geographical Hill - Mr Hill lives at the top of the hill; Occupation - Mr Taylor is a Tailor; and Physical - Mr Small is short in stature.
 
I mentioned that our ancestors where Dutch Huguenots who came over from Holland:- Anna has a degree in History and so was able to put us right on who the Huguenots were!  We did speculate that 'Hipsey' somehow or other derived from Huguenots.  CAN YOU COME UP WITH A PRECISE DEFINITION OF OUR SURNAME?
 
Today, Bill, Kathy's brother phoned me and we had a long chat: Bill could not tell me the derivation of the surname 'HIPSEY' either.  Could you please tell me if you know - as I feel this is a great omission from my knowledge about Hipseys - just when I'm setting up a website.



Hi Jeanette,

I am afraid I have not been able to find any derivation or definition of Hipsey as a surname. There are companies who will sell you the Hipsey Coat of Arms with a derivation based on the name Hippersley but this is not correct. My brother in Law lives in Holland and has trawled through telephone directories etc and there are no Hipseys or anything like a surname of Hipsey.
This is an extract from a Mummers Play from the Village of Cocking in West Sussex. Mummers plays were first recorded in the mid 1700's and why there is a reference to Hipsey as an illness who knows.

Doctor: I have a little bottle by my side,
The fame of which spreadeth far and wide,
The stuff therein is called Hallecumb pain.
It will rise the dead to life again,
It will cure the Hipsey, Pipsey, Paulsey and the gout,
Pains inside and pains out,
Drop a drop on the poor man's nose,
Arise, young man, and show the gentle folks around,
What a noble doctor there is to be found.

I cannot offer any further information,

Regards

Peter


Extract from an exchange of emails between JH and my friend Jeremy October 2012

Dear Jeremy
 
I just thought you are the definitive person to tell me what disease Hipsey is!  Please can you read, in particular the extract from a Mummer's Play of the 1700s quoted by Peter Hipsey - which definitely states that Hipsey is a disease (although I will continue to start my name with a capital letter)!
 
Jeanette


Jeanette

Thanks for your interesting e-mail. I looked up 'hipsey' in Nord's book of rare diseases but no luck, though it did mention 'hippotherapy' which is what you might cure whatever it is, by - horseback riding.

Jeremy





 
 
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