Show ContentsOgborn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Ogborn surname is a habitational name, taken on from either of two villages in Wiltshire called Ogbourne. 1 These place names come from the Old English personal name "Oc(c)a," with the Old English word "burna," meaning a "stream" or "creek." 2

At Ogbourn (St. George), Wiltshire "in 556, a sanguinary battle was fought here between the Britons and the West Saxons, which lasted the whole day, and ended in the total rout of the Britons, and the capture of their neighbouring fortress, BarBerry Castle, in the vicinity of which numerous barrows are still visible. A priory of Benedictine monks, subordinate to the abbey of Bec-Herlowyn, in Normandy, was founded here about 1149; it became the richest and principal cell to that house in England." 3

Early Origins of the Ogborn family

The surname Ogborn was first found in Wiltshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 4 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Ogbourn, held by Miles Crispin, a relative of Duke William, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. 4

Early History of the Ogborn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ogborn research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1727, 1740, 1750, 1759, 1761, 1765, 1770, 1790, 1814, 1817 and 1853 are included under the topic Early Ogborn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ogborn Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ogburn, Ogbourn, Ogeburn, Ogbourne, Okeburn, Okebourn, Ockburn, Ockbourn, Occburn, Ogborn, Oggborn, Ogborne, Oggborne, Oxburn, Oxbourne and many more.

Early Notables of the Ogborn family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • David Ogborne (fl. 1740-1761), English artist, married and settled before 1740 at Chelmsford, Essex, where he is described in the register as a 'painter' or 'limner.' He gained a certain reputation by...
  • Elizabeth Ogborne (1759-1853), English historian of Essex, born at Chelmsford and baptised 16 May 1759, was daughter of engraver, contributing the plates. She was assisted by Thomas Leman, who contrib...
  • John Ogborne (fl. 1770-1790), English engraver, possibly the son of David Ogborne [q.v.], who was baptised at Chelmsford on Aug. 1765, was a pupil of Francesco Bartolozzi [q.v.] He was one of the band...


United States Ogborn migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ogborn Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • William H. Ogborn, aged 39, who arrived in New York in 1903 aboard the ship "Umbria" from Liverpool, England 5
  • Emelen C. Ogborn, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1909 aboard the ship "Prince George" from St. George, Bermuda 5
  • Ervin Ogborn, aged 41, who arrived in New York in 1912 aboard the ship "Florizel" from St. John's, Newfoundland 5
  • Grace Ogborn, aged 28, who arrived in New York in 1912 aboard the ship "Florizel" from Halifax, England 5
  • Clarence Ogborn, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Herbert G. Wylie" from Tampico, Mexico 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Ogborn (post 1700) +

  • Anne Ogborn (b. 1959), American transgender rights activist
  • Miles Ogborn, English human geographer at Queen Mary, University of London


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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