The Roper family has its roots in Kent, and the earliest traced ancestor William Roper is born in c.1448. The family originally owned land in Kent and the estates were distributed amongst the sons on death, and gradually being diluted and sold over time.
Our branch of the Roper family moved to what is now Greater London in the early part of the 19th Century with William Roper being born in Greenwich, Kent in 1840. The family then moved further inwards living in Rotherhithe, Deptford, Shadwell and Southwark as they found work around the docks.
It is this area of south London where the Blakesley family lived and the marriage of William to Rosina Blakesley provides the link to them. William served in the same Army regiment as Rosina’s brother Samuel. Their daughter Charlotte married into the Payne family.
Other key families who are our ancestors and are linked to the Roper’s are: the Becket family from Kent when Anne married William. Our earliest ancestors here are Anne’s parents Robert Becket and his wife Elizabeth. The Dyer family from Kent joined when Mary married William. Little is known about this family. In 1617 the Eason family became linked with the marriage of Margaret to William. The Godfrey family appear to come from the west, either Bath or Wales and are linked by the marriage of Edward to Mary. Little is known about this family. The eldest linked family is the Iden family from Kent with Annis marrying George in the latter half of the 16th century. The Ollever family from Kent joined in 1694 when Anne became the second wife of William. Little else is known about this family. In 1753 the Ware family were linked with the marriage of Rebecca to John.
Distant relatives of this family that have been traced are in Nottingham, Surrey, Kent, Somerset, France and New Zealand.
The most used names in the family are William, James, John, George, Richard and Edmund / Edward for the males and Mary, Elizabeth, Anne and Margaret for the females
Gillard / Wood Family History 