Berbaray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The origins of the name Berbaray are from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from a baptismal name meaning son of Barbara. 1 In some instances, the name may have also been a nickname for someone, such as a Moor or Berber, who appeared to be of North African heritage. In such a case the name is a reference to the Barbary Coast of North Africa.

Another source notes that the name may be Norman in origin as he notes that "Barberi, famous of Old Forits Abbey (1170), is a parish near Falaise, in Normandy." 2

Early Origins of the Berbaray family

The surname Berbaray was first found in London, where the BarBerry spelling was the most popular. Late marriage records show: William Grosse and Barbery Marbeck were married at St. Antholin (London) in 1581. (Note the use as a forename) Helline, daughter of Henrie Barbery, was buried at St. James, Clerkenwell in 1609. Barbery, daughter of Jeremiah and Barbery Bird married at St. Mary Aldermary in 1696 and Francis Lee and Catherine Barberry were married at St. James, Clerkenwell in 1715. 1

Early History of the Berbaray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berbaray research. Another 203 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1500, 1609, 1674, 1692 and 1715 are included under the topic Early Berbaray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berbaray Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Berbaray family name include Barberry, Barbary, Barbery, Barberrie, Baberie, Berberry and many more.

Early Notables of the Berbaray family

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

Migration of the Berbaray family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Berbaray surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Thomas Barbery of Maryland who arrived in 1666.

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.