Steeple Family History

From Steeple Grange in Wirksworth (Derbys), which is recorded as Stephul(l) and Steple in the 14th century. The place-name derives from Old English stēap ‘steep’ + hyll ‘hill’.

From Middle English stepel steple, meaning ‘steep place; tower steeple’ (Old English stȳpel stīepel stēpel), the name was given to someone who lived at a steep place or by a tower.

This naming convention also applies to individuals who came from a location bearing a similar name, such as Steeple (Dorset), Steeple Court in Botley (Hants), Steephill in Ventnor (IoW), and Steeple (Essex).

In essence, the term reflects both geographical features and human settlement patterns, illustrating the significance of topography in place-naming.

Compare Stupple.