Show ContentsHilber History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hilber is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Hilber family lived in Dorset, at the manor of Ilberton, from where they took their name.

Early Origins of the Hilber family

The surname Hilber was first found in Dorset where they were anciently Lords of the manor of Iberton in that shire, after the Norman Conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066 A.D. Ilbert was a Norman under-tenant who conjecturally held the King's land, consisting of a rating of four cows.

Early History of the Hilber family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hilber research. Another 150 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1605 and 1800 are included under the topic Early Hilber History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hilber Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Illbert, Ilbert, Ibbert and others.

Early Notables of the Hilber family

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


United States Hilber migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Hilber or a variant listed above:

Hilber Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Bernhard Hilber, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1849 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Hilber (post 1700) +

  • Tom Hilber, American politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, 1993 2


The Hilber 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: Nulla rosa sine spinis
Motto Translation: No rose without thorns.


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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