Borrow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Borrow was first found in Hampshire where they were descended from Hubert de Burgh, who became Lord of the Manor of Tichfield in that county.

"Robert de Burgh, Earl of Moreton in Normandy, son of Harlowen de Burgh, by Arlotta, his wife, mother of William the Conqueror, participated with his half-brother in the triumph at Hastings, was created Earl of Cornwall, and received, as a further recompense, grants of seven hundred and ninety-three manors. This potent noble left one son, William Earl of Cornwall, who, rebelling against the first Henry, joined Robert of Normandy, and led the van at the battle of Tenchebray. In this conflict, after displaying great personal valour, he fell into the hands of his opponents and was sent prisoner to England, where he was treated with much cruelty, the king causing his eyes to be put out, and detaining him in captivity for life. " 2

The township of Middleton in Lancashire is of particular historical importance to the family. "In the reign of Henry III., Hubert de Burgh, (c. 1170-1243) Earl of Kent, Lord Chief Justice of England, had a grant of the whole of Wyresdale, with remainder to his heirs: he left two sons, from one of whom descended the Burghs or Borroughs, of Gainsborough; and it is probable that William de Burgh, of Middleton, who died about 1323, was descended also from the chief justice." 3

Again in Lancashire another early record was found: William de Burgh, rector of the church of St. Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire in 1374. 4

John Borough, Burgh or De Burgo (d. 1386), was an English divine, D.D. of Cambridge and rector of Collingham, Nottinghamshire. 5

"Borough, in Northam [Devon], made ever famous by Kingsley in its association with his Sir Amyas Leigh, was the seat of a family of the same name, which produced at least two very eminent Devonshire seamen Steven and William Borough. Steven Borough, though little known, is entitled to a very honourable place in the list of Devon worthies. Born in 1525, he was master of the largest vessel, the Edward Bonaventure, in Sir Hugh Willoughby's luckless voyage to the Arctic Seas, planned by Cabot, and which would have been an utter failure had not Borough and his comrade, Richard Chancellor, the pilot-major of the fleet, determined to prosecute their voyage after they had been separated from Willoughby by a storm. In 1556, Borough went again to the Northern Seas in a pinnace, to carry forward the intentions of the original expedition, and to find a way by the north-east to Cathay. He made the most remarkable voyage in the annals of Arctic exploration. The little vessel drew only four feet of water. She had for crew only the brothers Borough and eight others; yet she entered the Kara Sea, and reached a point beyond which no navigator went until our own days English, Dutch, and Russian failing each in turn." 6