Addenborrow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Addenborrow family

The surname Addenborrow was first found in Nottinghamshire at Attenborough, a village and a suburb in the Broxtowe borough which dates back to the 12th century when it was listed as Adinburcha. 1 The place name literally means "stronghold associated with a man called Adda or Aeddi," having derived from the Old English personal name + "ing" + "burh." 2

Bardsley also presumes the name could have been from "Attleburgh, a town in Norfolk I have placed Attenborough and Atterbury together, as they have probably become confused in the course of centuries. In any case Atterbury represents the older Attleburgh." 1

To confuse matters more, another learned author notes "these surnames can hardly derive from Attenborough (Notts), earlier Adinburcha, which was not a village in the Middle Ages, the name being that of a church only. They are probably all from ME 'atten' plus the dative of OE bearu 'a grove' or beorg 'hill, mound'. The second element was, as often, changed to borough through association with burh. Hence 'dweller by the grove, hill or mound'." 3

In an attempt to clear this confusion and explore other sources in this matter, the lion's share seem to agree with the former's origin of the name. They include: Lower 4, Barber 5 and Guppy 6.

We must look to Cambridgeshire to find the first record of the family in the year 1273, Alicia, Margeret and Richard Atteburwe who both appeared in the Hundredorum Rolls at that time. 1

Early History of the Addenborrow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Addenborrow research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1680, 1701 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Addenborrow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Addenborrow Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Addenborrow include Ateenborough, Atterbury, Attenbarrow, Attenborrow, Attenbrough, Attenbrow, Attenburrow, Addenbury, Addenborough, Addenbrow, Addenborrow, Atborough, Attborough, Atborow, Atbarow and many more.

Early Notables of the Addenborrow family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Addenborrow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Addenborrow family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Addenborrow were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Thomas Attenborow, who settled in Virginia in 1657; Francis Attenborough, who arrived in America as an emigrant in bondage in 1738; James Attenborough, who was naturalized in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1882.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.