Stopford was a younger son of James Stopford, 4th Earl of Courtown, and his second wife Dora Pennefather, daughter of Edward Pennefather, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.
stˈɑːpfɚd wʌzɐ jˈʌŋɡɚ sˈʌn ʌv dʒˈeɪmz stˈɑːpfɚd, fˈoːɹθ ˈɜːl ʌv kˈɜːtaʊn, ænd hɪz sˈɛkənd wˈaɪf dˈoːɹə pˈɛnɪfˌeɪðɚ, dˈɔːɾɚɹ ʌv ˈɛdwɚd pˈɛnɪfˌeɪðɚ, lˈɔːɹd tʃˈiːf dʒˈʌstɪs ʌv ˈaɪɚlənd.