Adderbury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Adderbury family

The surname Adderbury was first found in Oxfordshire at either East Adderbury or West Adderbury, Saxon villages and civil parishes that date back to c. 950 when there were listed collectively as Eadburggebyrig. Over one hundred years later in the Domesday Book of 1086, they were listed as Edburgberie and were held by Robert from Robert of Stafford, a Norman noble. 1

Literally the place names mean "stronghold of a woman called Eadburh," from the Old English personal name + "burh." 2

Another reference claims the place name was derived from St. Edburgh, to whom many religious establishments in this part of the country were dedicated. In the court rolls of New College, Oxford, the placename is written as Ebberbury. "Donnington Castle [in Donnington, Berkshire], built by Sir Richard de Abberbury, who was guardian to Richard II. in his minority, stood upon a declivity, at the foot of which runs the river Kennet. It was garrisoned for Charles I., and withstood two sieges during the civil war, in the first of which three of its towers were demolished, and in 1644 it was almost battered down by Colonel Dalbier, from whom a field in the vicinity, in which he planted his cannon, is still named. The only remains of this once impregnable fortress consist of a gateway flanked by two towers, a great portion of the ruins having been removed for the erection of a house near the site. A friary of the order of the Holy Trinity was also founded by Sir Richard de Abberbury. An hospital, called God's House, is supposed to have been founded, in 1392, by the same individual." 3

Early History of the Adderbury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adderbury research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1654, 1656, 1660, 1663, 1693, 1713, 1723, 1731, 1732, 1773, 1775, 1778 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Adderbury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adderbury Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Adderbury include Adderbury, Atterbury, AdderBerry, Adderberrie, Adderborrow, Adderbry and many more.

Early Notables of the Adderbury family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Lewis Atterbury DD the Elder (died 1693), Rector of Great or Broad Risington in Gloucestershire in 1654, Chaplain to Henry, Duke of Gloucester in 1660; and his son, Francis Atterbury (1663-1732), English man of letters, politician and Bishop of...
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Adderbury Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adderbury family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Adderburys to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Adderby, who came to Virginia in 1637.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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.