In May 1653, a young Englishman named Henry Culpeper arrived in colonial Virginia, bringing with him the Culpeper name to the New World. Through DNA testing and genealogical research, we have traced approximately 80% of American Culpeppers to this single common ancestor. This is the story of how one family spread from a small settlement in Lower Norfolk County to all 50 states, creating a legacy that spans over 370 years.
Henry Culpeper (circa 1633 - after 1675) is the proven progenitor of most American Culpeppers. Through Y-DNA testing, 117 Culpepper males have been tested, and 80% share close DNA relationships that all trace back to Henry.[1] He arrived in Virginia as a young man around age 20, probably paying for his own voyage, which suggests he came from a family of some means.
Henry likely arrived in Virginia in May 1653 or earlier, paying for his own passage rather than arriving as an indentured servant. This is significant because it suggests he had financial means—indenture was the common method for working-class English immigrants to afford passage to America.[2]
Shortly after arrival, he sold his headright (a claim to 50 acres of land given to those who paid their own passage) to Captain Nathaniel Hurd. This suggests Henry either had access to better land through other means, or he preferred immediate capital to start his enterprises. The fact that he was not indentured to Captain Hurd indicates this was a straightforward business transaction between free men.[2]
During this period, Henry would have been adapting to colonial life, establishing connections, and learning the tobacco and livestock trade that would make him successful.
By December 7, 1658, court records show “Henry Colepepper, Planter” selling a cow in Lancaster County. The designation “Planter” was significant—it indicated property ownership and established residency, not merely someone working another's land. Within five years of arrival, Henry had established himself as a landowner and livestock farmer.[2]
The cattle sale demonstrates that Henry was engaged in commercial agriculture, not merely subsistence farming. Colonial Virginia's economy was largely based on tobacco, but successful planters diversified with livestock, which provided both food security and additional income.
Interestingly, in September 1659, a John Colepeper also appears in Lancaster County records witnessing a deed establishing parish boundaries. On May 10-June 30, 1664, both Henry and John Culpepper are listed as “Shippers by the Defence” traveling from London to New England. This suggests Henry maintained connections with England and may have traveled back across the Atlantic, possibly with a relative.[2]
By 1667, Henry had relocated to Lower Norfolk County (in present-day southeastern Virginia, including areas now part of Norfolk and Virginia Beach). This would remain his home for the rest of his documented life.[2]
Court records from this period reveal an active member of the colonial community:
His last documented appearance in colonial records is 1675, after which the historical trail goes cold. He presumably died shortly thereafter (circa 1675-1680) in Lower Norfolk County. In 1691, when Lower Norfolk was split, his descendants' lands fell into the newly created Norfolk County.[2]
Henry married a woman named Elizabeth, whose maiden name was likely Greene, around 1660 (date unknown). Several land transactions required Elizabeth's consent (as indicated by notations in deeds), suggesting she may have brought property to the marriage from a previous union or inheritance.[2]
Under English common law (which governed Virginia), a married woman's property became her husband's, but certain transactions still required her explicit consent, especially regarding lands she brought to the marriage. The presence of these consent notations suggests Elizabeth had independent property rights that Henry respected.
The elder son, Robert established his own family in Norfolk County and continued the family's presence in Virginia. His descendants would spread throughout the colony and eventually beyond.
Through Robert's line, numerous branches of the Culpepper family tree developed in Virginia and the Carolinas.
The younger son, Henry Jr. also remained in the Norfolk County area, contributing to the growing Culpepper population in colonial Virginia.
From these two sons—Robert and Henry Jr.—descended the vast majority of American Culpeppers, a genetic legacy confirmed by DNA testing in the 21st century.
While Henry Culpeper's life in Virginia is well-documented through land deeds and court records, his exact English ancestry remains a subject of ongoing research. Several theories have been proposed, each with supporting evidence but none yet definitively proven:[3]
Candidate: John Culpeper of Astwood in Feckenham and Ursula Woodcock
Supporting Evidence:
Candidate: Thomas Culpeper, brother of John the Merchant, who was associated with the Middle Temple (legal profession)
Supporting Evidence:
Candidate: Connection to Sir Edward Culpeper, Knight, of the prestigious Wakehurst branch
Supporting Evidence:
Candidate: Henry baptized at St. Margaret's Church, Westminster, London (February 20, 1632), son of William Culpeper of London
Supporting Evidence:
DNA testing has provided crucial insights but also raised new questions. Y-DNA analysis shows that:[1]
The search for Henry's English parents continues, combining traditional genealogical research with modern DNA analysis and English parish records. As more documents are digitized and more descendants participate in DNA testing, we may yet solve this 370-year-old mystery.
Throughout colonial and early American history, the family name appeared with various spellings—often different spellings for the same individual in different documents. This was typical of the era, when spelling standards were not yet formalized.[4]
English spelling, used by the noble families and in official British records
Common American spelling variant, most prevalent among U.S. descendants
Early colonial spelling, often found in 17th-century Virginia records
All three spellings appear in historical documents, sometimes for the same individual. Henry himself was recorded as “Colepepper” (1658), “Culpeper” (various dates), and other variants. Modern descendants use various spellings, with Culpepper being most common in America.
The Culpepper Y-DNA Project at FamilyTreeDNA has transformed our understanding of family connections, providing scientific proof for relationships that were previously based only on documentary evidence. Y-DNA is passed from father to son virtually unchanged, making it an ideal tool for tracing patrilineal descent.[1]
As of recent testing, 117 men bearing the Culpepper surname (and variants) have participated in the Y-DNA project, providing a substantial dataset for analysis.
Approximately 80% of tested participants share close genetic relationships, indicating descent from a common ancestor within the genealogical timeframe (past 400 years).
All closely-related participants trace their documented genealogy back to Henry Culpeper of Lower Norfolk County, Virginia. DNA testing has definitively proven Henry as the common ancestor.
The Culpepper Y-DNA signature belongs to haplogroup I1, with a haplotype closely matching the “Ultra-Norse Type 1 (Norway)” signature. This suggests Viking/Norse ancestry, consistent with English Culpepers being descendants of Norse settlers in Britain.[5]
The remaining 20% of tested Culpeppers fall into different genetic groups, indicating:
These individuals are no less “Culpepper” in terms of family identity and heritage—they simply have different genetic origins, which is not uncommon in any surname study.
From Henry's settlement in Lower Norfolk County, Virginia, the Culpepper family spread in waves across the American continent. Each generation pushed further west and south, following the frontier, economic opportunities, and the promise of land.
Henry's sons and grandsons spread throughout Tidewater Virginia, then into the Piedmont region as coastal lands became crowded and expensive. By the mid-1700s, Culpeppers could be found throughout Virginia's counties.
As Virginia lands filled, many Culpeppers joined the migration south into North Carolina, South Carolina, and eventually Georgia. These states show particularly heavy concentrations of Culpepper families to this day.
Following the Revolutionary War, Culpeppers joined the great migration west through the Cumberland Gap and across the Appalachian Mountains. Tennessee and Kentucky became home to many family branches. By the 1830s-1840s, some had reached as far as Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas.
The California Gold Rush, homestead opportunities, and railroad expansion drew Culpeppers to the far western states. By the late 1800s, family members had settled in California, Oregon, Washington, and throughout the Great Plains.
The 20th century saw unprecedented mobility. World Wars, economic opportunities, and modern transportation allowed Culpeppers to scatter to every corner of the nation. Today, Culpepper families can be found in all 50 states, though concentrations remain highest in the southeastern states that were settled earliest.
From one man in one Virginia county to families in all 50 states—the American Culpepper story is one of growth, migration, and enduring family connections.
[1] DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy
Culpepper Y-DNA Project — FamilyTreeDNA and Culpepper Connections. Results from 117 tested males, showing 80% descend from Henry Culpeper of Lower Norfolk County. Includes haplogroup analysis and genetic distance calculations.
[2] Colonial Virginia Records
Norfolk, Virginia Records (1667-1724) — Culpepper Connections. Transcriptions of colonial court records, land deeds, and legal documents mentioning Henry Culpeper, his wife Elizabeth, and their descendants. Includes:
[3] English Origins Research
The English/New World Linkage — Culpepper Connections. Comprehensive analysis of theories regarding Henry Culpeper's English parentage, including discussion of John Culpeper “the Merchant,” Thomas of the Middle Temple, Sir Edward Culpeper of Wakehurst, and William Culpeper of London.
[4] Name Variations and Spelling
Name Variations: Colepeper vs. Culpeper vs. Culpepper — Culpepper Connections. Historical analysis of surname spelling variations throughout English and American records, with examples from medieval times through the present day.
[5] Viking/Norse Ancestry
The Culpepper Ancestral Journey — Culpepper Connections. National Geographic Genographic Project report (2007) on haplogroup I1, Ultra-Norse Type 1 haplotype matching, and Viking heritage of the Culpepper Y-DNA signature.
[6] Primary Source Website
Culpepper Connections — The premier genealogical resource for the Culpepper family, maintained by Lewis Wyman Griffin, Jr. Contains extensive documentation, photographs, genealogical records, historical treatises, DNA project results, and ongoing research.
To research your own Culpepper ancestry and connect with other researchers, explore these free, open-source genealogy platforms:
Note: This page serves as a comprehensive overview of American Culpepper history based on research compiled at Culpepper Connections and verified through WikiTree genealogical documentation. For complete source documents, additional research materials, and ongoing updates, visit www.culpepperconnections.com.