The surname Bisp is of English origin. It is derived from the Middle English ‘biscop’, which comes via the Latin from the Greek ‘episkopos’, overseer ( from ‘epi’, on, over and ‘skopein’, to look ). The Greek word was adopted early in the Cristian era as a title for an overseer of a local community of Cristians. This surname has a equivalant in every European language: in France as eveque, in Italy as vescovo, in Spain as obispo, in Russia as yepiskop, in Germany as Bischof. The word came to be applied as a surname for a variety of reasons, among them service in the household of a bishop, supposed resemblance in bearing or appearance to one of ecclesiastical personage. Nevertheless most Bishops owe their name to the custom in England of electing a boy-bishop on St.Nicholas’ Day; making it somewhat of a pageant name. The child chosen to play the boy bishop was led around the streets gorgeously dressed in the garb of a bishop, an honor he would remember to his dying day; he would often acquire the nickname Bishop,which could cling for life, and descend to his progeny.The name dates back to the tenth cent…
Coat of arms: Argent, on a b…