Evidence of human activity near Hopton, during a warm period known as the Aveley Interglacial around 200,000 years ago, is provided by the discovery of a Paleolithic Acheulean hand axe in the area.

[1] Hopton is mentioned in the Domesday book in 1086 as a berewick (supporting farm) of the manor and town of Wirksworth.

Hopton lies just off the B5035 road from Ashbourne to Wirksworth, at the northern end of Carsington Water.

The village has a long association with the Gell family, who have had assets in Hopton since 1327,[2] and had extensive lead mining interests in the Wirksworth area.

Modern Hopton is a dispersed village with a mix of houses, some of which are self-catering accommodation for tourists exploring the Derbyshire Dales, Peak District, Wirksworth and Carsington Water.