Saulsbury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Saulsbury is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Saulsbury family lived in Wiltshire, at Salisbury, from where their name is derived.

Early Origins of the Saulsbury family

The surname Saulsbury was first found in Wiltshire at Salisbury, a cathedral city that dates back to c. 900 when it was listed as Searobyrg. Over one hundred years later, the Domesday Book lists the place name as Sarisberie, much closer phonetically to today's name. The place name literally means "stronghold at Sorvio, " from the Old English words burgh + the Celtic name Sorviodunum. 1

Salisbury Cathedral is one of the most famous cathedrals in Britain; its spire can be seen for miles. Moreover, it is now home to pages from the Magna Carta which is on public display.

"Edward de Sarisberie, sometimes called Edward Vicecomes was a great tenant in chief in Wiltshire and other counties, at the making of the Domesday [Book]. He was a younger son of Walter de Evreux (Devereux) one of the few instances in those early times of a Norman family with a Saxon name. " 2

Early History of the Saulsbury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saulsbury research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1500, 1561, 1573, 1575, 1580, 1593, 1612, 1621, 1622, 1625, 1626, 1637, 1640, 1643, 1660, 1661, 1684 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Saulsbury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saulsbury Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Salisbury, Salesbury, Sallsbury, Salusbury and many more.

Early Notables of the Saulsbury family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Henry Salisbury or Salebury 1561-1637?), Welsh grammarian, born in 1561 at Dolbelidr (now known as Ffynonfair) in the parish of Henllan, Denbighshire probably the youngest son of Foulke, third son of Piers Salesbury of Bachymbyd and Rug, a branch of the Salesburys of Llewenny, Denbighshire; John Salisbury (1500?-1573), Welsh Bishop of Sodor and Man, member of the ancient family settled at Llewenny in Denbighshire, whose name was frequently spelt Salesbury or Salusbury; John Salisbury (1575-1625), Jesuit and Welsh scholar, described as a native of Merionethshire, presumably a member of the...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Saulsbury Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saulsbury Ranking

In the United States, the name Saulsbury is the 15,360^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Saulsbury family to Ireland

Some of the Saulsbury 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.

Saulsbury migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Saulsbury or a variant listed above:

Saulsbury Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mathew J. Saulsbury, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "G. R. Crowe" from Tampico, Mexico 4
Todd Saulsbury, aged 27, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "La Savoie" from Le Havre, France 4
Renee Saulsbury, aged 18, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "La Savoie" from Le Havre, France 4
Willard Saulsbury, aged 58, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Saulsbury (post 1700) +

Eli May Saulsbury (1817-1893), American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Delaware (1871-1889)
Willard Saulsbury Sr. (1820-1892), American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Delaware (1859-1871), Chancellor of Delaware (1873-1892)
Willard Saulsbury Jr. (1861-1927), American lawyer and politician, United States Senator from Delaware (1913-1919)
Dr. Gove Saulsbury (1815-1881), American physician and politician, Governor of Delaware (1865-1871)

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result