(spelling variations include; Chaplain, Chaplen, Chapperlin, Chapplen, Chaplyn, Chapplyn, Capp'll'no, Cappellanus...)

It would seem the name is derived from the french/latin Cappellanus which designated a clergyman or cleric, or a layman delegated with the care of a chapel or church or military or aristocracy.

The name Chaplin appears in English records going right back to the turn of the first Christian millenium. One example of this is the small town of Groby (pronounced Grooby) situated about 5 miles northwest of the city of Leicester, in the county of Leicestershire, England, UK. In 1066 the Normans, through Hugh de Grentmaisnell took over the running of the village and its lands. Robert de Quincey and William Ferrers, 2nd son of the Earl of Derby, later Baron Groby followed. William Ferrers, Baron Groby is reported as having command of ten villagers, one feeman and five small holders by 1086. A castle mound with tower was erected to underline the Norman presence. In 1338 Henry Ferrers was granted a licence to hold his own market close to the Old Hall, between the present Stamford Arms and Chaplin's butchers shop. By 1377 Groby had a population of 75 - say 20 families - and surnames familiar to many today were already established. The Abel family were living in Groby by the year 1296, Bates 1304, Bennett 1327, Chaplin 1327, Fletcher 1327, Kemp 1343, Pepper 1371, Prior 1377, Read 1371 & Sutton 1376. This surname written as Capp'll'no appears on a Subsidy Roll for the Manor of Groby written in the year 1327 (Edward III). The male members of this family were later wood keepers and gamekeepers, tailors and grocers. Robert Chaplin in Whites directory of 1877 is listed as a grocer, draper, butcher and postmaster.

The Chaplin family is spread right across England, but there are some large family clusters, particularly around Leicestershire and Sussex. The family line taken up in this genealogy however has taken the researcher back into the west country of Somerset, where the family seems to have been settled from at least as far back as the 16 century.

Robert Chaplin was born About 1803 in Brompton Ralph, Somerset, England and died 12 Oct, 1890 in West Mitcham, South Australia when he was aged 87.

He emigrated from Portsmouth, England and arrived at Port Adelaide on 5 Dec, 1854 on the ship "Lady MacDonald" with wife Rebecca and 9 children.

His body and that of his wife and some of his children, were interned at West Mitcham Primitive Methodist Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia. Though he and some of his family were buried in the Methodist denomination cemetery, they are listed as belonging to the Church of England parish of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Brompton Ralph, Somerset, prior to their immigration to South Australia.

He lived at Angas Plains, and Mitcham in South Australia.

View Eight Generations of Descendents of Robert and Rebecca Chaplin
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Related? Check the Kinship table of Robert & Rebecca Chaplin
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