The village name Upchurch is Anglo Saxon and means ‘Church on the hill’ because of the high geographical location of the church which dates back to about 1100. It’s also the only village in the UK with the name, but the origin of the surname is less straightforward.
The only evidence of the name Upchurch having origins outside the village is in Upshire near Waltham Abbey in Essex, from which the Upchurch family name is believed to have derived. There is also a family crest originating from the same area, which indicates that the family became high standing. Yet, in present day Essex, less than 2% of people have the surname Upchurch while in Kent, the figure is less than 1%.
In the village of Upchurch, evidence of the surname in the parish register of births, marriages and burials dating back to the 16th century does not exist, according to my own research. However, in Huntingdonshire, there are 105 families bearing the surname Upchurch. In Hertfordshire, there are 86 families, and in Cambridgeshire, there are 62. There are also many families in foreign English speaking countries with the name, especially in the United States. How did people living in these locations get the surname Upchurch?
The first logical reason is the movement of people bearing the Upchurch name from one county to another in the UK, and secondly, emigration to other countries. During the 17th and 18th centuries, people travelling to America from England may have wanted to keep a connection with their village or town so they changed their original surname to their place of origin name, some may have been orphans and didn’t know their real surname or may have been on the run from the authorities, so there were valid reasons why people may have wanted a name change. Others who originated from the Essex family with the name Upchurch at birth, probably maintained the surname in America.
Some early settlers travelling to America, particularly to North Carolina before the American War of Independence, went as indentured servants, and some present day families named Upchurch living there can be traced back to these. The servants were often teenagers from poor families who didn’t have money for the journey from England, so they borrowed it from the shipping company and got free passage. In return, they obtained jobs as indentured servants, mainly for farmers, planters and shopkeepers and worked to pay back the shipping company, which could take several years. They were also provided with free accommodation, food and clothing by their employers.
Before the War of Independence, North Carolina became the fastest growing English colony in America with opportunities for newcomers. Many indentured servants, including those with the name Upchurch, didn’t return to England because they were able to set up their own farms or businesses after paying off their travel debt and stayed in America.
In North Carolina today, there are 194 families bearing the Upchurch name, and there is even a community in the Upchurch district of Cary in Wake County where numerous residents with the surname Upchurch can be found. There are also businesses there, which have the name like real estate company ‘Upchurch Farms.’ In Texas, there are 106 recorded Upchurch family surnames, and the name can be found in other American states.
Ryan Upchurch.
There are also African Americans with the surname Upchurch and the most likely reason for this is because their forbears were named after a tobacco or rice plantation owner for whom they worked although marriage to someone with an Upchurch surname could be the reason in some cases.
Americans named Upchurch have visited the Kent village over the years, trying to find their roots, the possibility of relatives or some connection with the village. Some are shocked when they discover that there aren’t any families in the village with the surname Upchurch which means that finding family connections here is almost impossible unless they have other names to work on.
Perhaps the most famous person today with the surname Upchurch is Ryan Edward Upchurch, known professionally as just ‘Upchurch’ and formerly known as ‘Upchurch The Redneck’. Ryan is a popular American rapper, singer, musician, songwriter, and comedian from Cheatham County, on the outskirts of Nashville, Tennessee, who was a comedian and country rapper, to begin with, but has now diversified into many genres of music.
Late postmaster Cliff Wanstall kept a guest book in the village post office for visiting tourists to sign, and many of these were named Upchurch. In more recent years, mainly American tourists with the surname have stayed at local bed and breakfasts. Although most haven’t found evidence of relatives, they have visited and seen the only village bearing their surname.
David Wood
About David
David was born and raised at Ham Green and still lives there today.
He writes from personal experience about Upchurch village life and the changes that have taken place over the years.
David's book, Memories of Upchurch, is a very readable and detailed historical study of the village and is available direct from David at: david3702001@yahoo.co.uk price £12 + postage and packing.
