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with regard to the name heap,i have recently been given a family book/tree that was commisioned by charles heape and richard heape in the late 1800's at a cost of 1,780.00 pounds,the research in this is extensive,all family trees in relation to heap going as far back as robert de hep born in1170,according to this book he married cicillia de bury,anyway if there are any questions or family members back in the day feel free to contact me and i will do my best to answer,like i wrote earlier this book covers all branches and there relations,to the de bury,de radcliffe and the montbegon family;s from france.

Does anyone have any ideas as to where the surname Heap originally comes from? I've always thought that it originated in Lancashire, but have never been sure, and haven't really known where to start researching. As a former Heap, I've always been fascinated in finding out where my line may have started. Are there any other fellow Heaps out there???

The name Heap emanates from a Robert de Heap, who founded a settlement now known as Heap, a village near to Heywood , Lancashire. Robert de Hep was a witness to a number of Charters mainly those of Roger de Montbegon, the Lord of Hornby Castle near Lancaster (1210). Montbegon was one of the 25 Surety Barons to the Magna Carta. The only other early reference I have found is that it was the original name for the village of Shap and Shap Abbey, Cumbria. "Hep" or "Hep Hep Hep" was the battle cry of the Crusaders ( "HEIROSOLYMA EST PERDITH"). Members of Robert de Hep's "clan" settled around Rochdale, Oldham, Stalybridge, Mottram and Prestbury. He was murdered in 1246 by a Peter Carrite. It is known that he owned land at Failsworth ( between Oldham and Manchester) which he sold to Robert Grelley the Baron of Manchester and at Leire in Leicestershire. Charles Heape of Rochdale commissioned a private book on the History of the Heape name. Copies can be found in the libraries of Oldham, Rochdale and the Library of Lancaster University.