Recorded in several spelling forms including Skippen, Skippon, Skipping and the base form of Skipton, this surname is English. It is locational from two places called Skipton, both in the county of Yorkshire, or from residence on a sheep farm. The placenames themselves are derived from a Danish-Viking form of the Old English pre 7th Century "scip tun", meaning "sheep-farm". Both places were recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, commissioned by King William 1st, Duke of Normandy, and the conqueror of England in 1066. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from surviving church registers and charters of the city of London in the post medieval period include: Alice Skipping, who was married on October 31st 1547 at St Olav's church, Hart Street, Anne Skipton, who on July 20th 1585, married John Squiers at the church of St. Mary Somerset, and Elizabeth Skippen, who married John Tipple at Christchurch, Greyfriars, on May 5th 1851. Amongst the famous name holders is that of Phillip Skippon, who died in 1660. He was an M P and a Major General in the army of Parliament in the civil war of 1640 -1660. He also commanded the London Militia for most of that period, preventing a counter revolution. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of John de Skipton. This was dated 1335, in the famous revived heraldic roll of honour of the knights of the Round Table, created by King Edward lll of England, 1327 - 1377.

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