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The Origin of the Pringle (De Hoppringhill) Name
Origin of The Pringle Name
According to the detailed Records of the Pringles, published by Alexander Pringle in 1933, the surname Hoppringill, or Pringle, dates from the reign of Alexander III of Scotland (1249-86) and is one of the oldest names of the Scottish Border region.
It is a placename derived from a locale in the Parish of Stow on the right side of Gala Water, about ten miles North of Galashiels. Hoppringill lies about one half mile up from the bank of the river on the Southern slopes of a ridge separating the valleys of the rivers Armet and Todhole (now named Armet Water and Toddle Burn).
This ridge, with its level crest, abuts at its Western extremity on the Gala in a remarkably rounded knob some 300ft above the level of the river, which winds around its base in a semi-circle. It is this ring-like boss which no doubt gives the place its name of Hoppringhill, as it is occasionally written in older records.
The first syllable is the name Hope, Hopp, Op orUp, derived from the Old Norse Hop - a haven, denoting a small enclosed valley branching off a larger one. The other syllables include ring (or rink ), and hill. As such names are always descriptive, Hoppringill means simply the small enclosed valley of the ring, or round hill.
The full name of Hoppringill was in use for 300 years. The last recorded usage in its full form is by a Chief of the Clan whose will, dated 1737, is in the name of John Hoppringle of that Ilk. Around 1590, however, Pringill, which had appeared rarely before, begins to become the dominant form, until around 1650, when it gave way to Pringle. This change closely follows similar changes in the spelling of words like Temple and Single, derived from Tempill and Singill. The final syllable was never actually pronounced gill.
Notes by James Bruce Pringle (who is the second son of the second son of the eighth baronet of Stichill, and first cousin to the tenth baronet of Stichill. He can be contacted via E-mail: jpaltd (at) gotadsl (dot) co (dot) uk.)
Many early genealogists got the origins of the family name wrong and one hundred and fifty years later these errors continue to this day. I believe it is vital to demolish these errors, once and for all.
The first error relates to the name being derived from pelerin or pilgrim. The next relates to the Hop being a prefix meaning 'son of'. Another, is the name Pyngle being just one form of the spelling of Hoppringle. Finally, the worst (in my view) that the 'Pyngles of Whitsome' were the progenitors of the Hoppringles of Smailholm. All absolute rubbish! There was never any connection between the Hoppringills and the Pyngles.
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