Stanhope

Stanhope is a toponym of English origin and a surname. The name is associated with several places in the United Kingdom and North America and with a number of individuals bearing the surname Stanhope. It is also historically linked to the British noble title Earl Stanhope.

In the United Kingdom, the best known Stanhope is a market town in the Weardale region of County Durham, England. It lies on the River Wear and serves as the administrative center of the Stanhope parish. The town functions as a local market town and service center for the surrounding rural area.

In the United States, Stanhope refers to a borough in Warren County, New Jersey, located in the northern part of the state and part of the New York metropolitan area. It is one of several U.S. communities bearing the name Stanhope.

Notable people with the surname include James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope, a British statesman of the early 18th century, and other members of the Stanhope family who held peerages in the British nobility. The name has appeared in various historical and genealogical contexts, reflecting its longevity and regional ties.

The etymology of Stanhope is linked to Old English elements that are commonly interpreted as meaning stone and enclosure or homestead, indicating its origins as a placename describing a settled, stone-containing site.