Clayborne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Clayborne surname lived in Cliburn, a small parish in the county of Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). The place name dates back to c. 1140 when it was listed as Clibbrun. Literally it means "stream by the cliff or bank," from the Old English words "clif" + "burna." 1

Early Origins of the Clayborne family

The surname Clayborne was first found in Westmorland at Cliburn, a village and civil parish, in the West ward and union 2, now in the Eden District of Cumbria. "The parish is pleasantly situated between the rivers Eden and Lavennet, which bound it on two sides, and is intersected by the small river Lethe." 2 Cliburn Hall, is a three storey Pele tower built by Robert de Cliburn in 1387. Richard Cliburn made changes to the hall in 1567 and added a stone which reads "Richard Cleburn this they me called. In which my time hath built this Hall. A.D. 1567." St Cuthbert's Church dates back to the 12th century and was restored in the 19th century.

A strong Yorkshire family, Robert de Cleburne was a Freeman of York in 1364 as was Oliver Clibburn in 1475. Early Cheshire records also show the name as a forename, specifically Clibern Biscop who was listed in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1202. 3

In some cases, the Clayborne (an its many variants) was centralized in Norfolk where the first record was of Thomas Clabeyn who was Bailiff of Yarmouth in 1412. William Clayoorne, Norfolk was registered there 2 Edward VI (during the second year of Edward VI's reign) and Thomas Clayborne was Mayor of Lynn Regis in 1573. 4

Early History of the Clayborne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Clayborne research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1364, 1475, 1600, 1604, 1621, 1626, 1634, 1648, 1660 and 1677 are included under the topic Early Clayborne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clayborne Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Clayborne are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Clayborne include: Clibborn, Cliborn, Cliburn, Cilborne, Cliburne, Clibborne, Clairborne, Claiborn, Claiborne, Clayborn, Clayborne, Claybourne, Claybourn, Clayburn, Clayburne, Cliburn, Cleburn, Cleborne, Cliburne, Cleburne and many more.

Early Notables of the Clayborne family

More information is included under the topic Early Clayborne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clayborne Ranking

In the United States, the name Clayborne is the 15,888^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Clayborne family to Ireland

Some of the Clayborne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Clayborne migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Clayborne or a variant listed above:

Clayborne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Clayborne, who landed in Virginia in 1621 6
Edward Clayborne, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Clayborne (post 1700) +

Berkeley Clayborne, American child actress and model, known for her roles in Dhoom:3 (2013), To Survive (2014) and Wingmen Incorporated (2013)
James Clayborne, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 2008 7
Sarah Clayborne, born Beverly Jean Williams, nicknamed The Pie Lady, an American pie chef, restauranteur, and community activist in Memphis, Tennessee
James Clayborne Jr. (b. 1963), American politician, Illinois Senate Majority Leader (2009-), Member of the Illinois Senate (1995-)
William Clayborne Tarkington (1816-1895), American politician, Member of Indiana State Senate, 1855-62 8

The Clayborne Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtus vincit invidiam
Motto Translation: Virtue overcometh envy.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html