Show ContentsDewsburey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Dewsburey date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Dewsbury, a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire.

"This town is supposed to have derived its name, originally Duisburgh, from Dui, the tutelar deity of the Brigantes, to whom a votive altar, dedicated by Aurelianus, was found in the vicinity, and is still preserved at Bradley." 1

Early Origins of the Dewsburey family

The surname Dewsburey was first found in West Yorkshire where the place dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Deusberia and Deusberie. Very small by standards in those days, the lands held only space for 2 ploughs but was held by Wakefield and a portion of the lands was held by King Edward who had a manor that was 4 furlongs long (800 meters) and as much broad. 2

The name literally means "stronghold of a man called Dewi", derived from the Old Welsh personal name "Dewi" + "burgh", an Old English word 3

Early History of the Dewsburey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dewsburey research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1621, 1688 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Dewsburey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dewsburey Spelling Variations

Dewsburey has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Dewsburey have been found, including Dewsbury, Dusebury, Dusbury, Dewsburay and others.

Early Notables of the Dewsburey family

Distinguished members of the family include William Dewsbury (ca. 1621-1688), a Quaker minister from Allerthorpe, Yorkshire. He "was born in 1621 at Allerthorpe, near Pocklington in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Up to his thirteenth year he was a shepherd's boy, and afterwards served his apprenticeship to a cloth-weaver at Holbeck, Leeds. He...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dewsburey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Dewsburey family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Dewsbureys to arrive on North American shores: John Dewsbury arrived in New Jersey in 1677; John Dewsbury, who arrived in New Jersey in 1678; William Dewsbury arrived in Philadelphia in 1880; and George Dewsbury, aged 26, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1899..



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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