Dr. Upham says:

” Hugo, the first of this name of vrhom I have found an}^ notice, is designated Hugo de Upham, Hugo of Upham. Now the ‘ de ‘ not only indicates that he derived his name from his estate, but the lands belonging to him are expressly referred to in the same document, as bearing the name Upham : ‘ Campis de Upham ‘ (Upham fields). We conclude, then, that Hugo, and his ancestors holding possession of and residing on the lands known by the name Upham, received the names of Hugo, etc., de Upham.

This is also confirmed by the fact, that Upham, as the name of a place, occurs in records previous to the introduction of surnames.

“We have then, in a more or less satisfactory manner, indicated the time and cause of the assumption of this surname. We shall now merely allude to the fact that the ‘ de ‘ was omitted at an early period, and the name received its present form. This change took place previous to 1445, as appears from its form in the following extract from the inquisitions, ‘ad quod Damnum.’ (Calendarum Rotularum Chartarum et inquisitionum ad quod Damnum, A. 19-23, Henry VI., No. 93, p. 385. The inquisitions ad quod Damnum were commenced in the first year of the reign of Edward II., 1307, and ended in the 38th of Henry VI.. 1460. They were taken by virtue of writs directed to the escheator of each county, when any grant of a market, fair, or other privileges, or license of alienation of lands was solicited, to inquire by a jury whether such grant of alienation was prejudicial to the king or others, in case same should be made.) ‘ Inquisitio capta apud Watlington in com’ Oxen tertio die Aprilis anno, etc., vicesimo tertio coram magro Rico’ Lowe, at aliis commissionaris dui. Regis, ad enquirend, de omnibus illus bonis at catalis Elizabethae que fuit uxor Reginald Barantyn quam Joh’es Upham nuper duxit in ux’em et ad manus Joh’es Tycheborn ut diceter devenerunt,’ etc. In this case the name is written simply, John Upham.”

” John Upham ” — of New England — ” and Lieut. Phineas, his son added without doubt the final e to their names, in accordance with the custom of the age of Elizabeth, of giving this termination to many words. This letter was subsequently dropped and the name assumed the original form.”