Researching Royal Decree

[Eden]

One of the families I am researching has an unusual spelling for a very common name - it just has a double 'p' where normally it is one 'p'.
I have a copy of the family tree that was compiled in 1867 and have been able to verify everything in our line - so assume the rest is accurate. Every spelling of the name has dble 'p' on this tree.
Recently, I was talking with a newly found family member (great grand-daughter of my great uncle) and she has told me that the extra 'p' was added by 'royal decree' but she didn't know when. I would like to verify this, but have no idea where to start!! It obviously goes back a long way. She suggested it may have been Bonnie Prince Charlie as she says the family hid him at one time - again, this was the first I had heard of it - but he was much later than 1621 - so no idea!!

Any suggestions?? (I'd be very grateful for all suggestions!)
(PS - I'm in Oz and the family history is Gloucestershire!)

[Jessbowbag]

Do you have to have a royal decree to add a letter to your name?
Surnames evolved- given that few people even knew how to read & write names has changed over the years, sometimes almost beyond recognition.

Dont get stuck in a rut where you only consider incedences of ''pp''- consider the singular spelling too

[Olde Crone Holden]

I agree with Jess, you have never needed to go to the huge expense of getting a Royal Decree in order to change the spwelling of your name by one letter, or by any letter at all! Until the late 1800s, you could spell your name however you wanted to, it was not an issue with anyone.

The one Royal Decree I have in my own extended tree, concerns an armigerous family, who pleaded to change their family name from Greenwood to Holden, in order to be recognised as the true (and only) heirs of the Holden Manor and Estate. This was not the normal name changing - they could have happily called themselves Holden and no one would have cared - it was a device to have themselves LEGALLY recognised as members of the Holden armigerous family and everything which went along with that.

I don't know where these Royal Warrants are kept. Mine is with the Royal College of Heralds.

OC

[Eden]

Thanks for your comments. I have no intention of 'getting bogged down' as I fully understand how names evolved. I just found it a fascinating aside and wondered how to start tp research it. I will try the Royal College of Heralds. Thanks.