The
surname
Kopp originates in medieval Saxony. Earliest
references
date back to the 12th century A.D. from Leipzig, Jena and elsewhere in
Saxony, Prussia and Silesia (eastern parts of Germany).
The name translates to "head" and this is
reflected in
the family heraldry. Numerous armorial references describe the coat of
arms as "Gold, with a Moor's head placed in profile, crowned with a
green laurel wreath, above the shield and helmet three gold ears of
wheat, stalked and leaved gold " .
It is reasonable to speculate that the Moor's
head
relates to the martial accomplishments of an ancestral Kopp during the
latter crusades. Numerous Saxon knights were involved in the Crusades,
but further historical research is needed to determine what role any
early Kopp may have played in these campaigns.
I was born in Perth, Western Australia. I have no
Latin ancestors on either side of the family.
Artwork ¿ 1996 Mark Kopp, and text ¿ 1996 Carlo
Kopp
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