This interesting Olde French Huguenot name, which is also found in America, is a medieval nickname surname 'for one with the expression or characteristics of a small baby!' This is the 20th Century interpretation, however, it would be interesting to know the precise 13th Century meaning - which presumably was complimentary or at least taken as such. The original family fled from France at the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Jean Poupart. which was dated 1867, Wandsworth, London. during the reign of Queen Victoria,'The Great White Queen' 1837 - 1901 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.