Drabbar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Drabbar is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name was taken on by someone who worked as a maker or seller of woolen cloth. The surname Drabbar is derived from the Old French word drapier and the Anglo-French word draper, which both have this meaning. The word was recorded in Old English as early as 1376.

Early Origins of the Drabbar family

The surname Drabbar was first found in Lancashire where one of the first records of the family was Robert le Draper who was listed in the Pipe Rolls (1181-1182.) 1 Later the Subsidy Rolls, Henry le Draper was listed as holding estates in 1332 in the same county. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists Roger le Draper in Wiltshire and Auwred le Draper in Cambridgeshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Johannes Drapour as a drapour at that time. 2

Early History of the Drabbar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drabbar research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1567, 1646, 1678, 1689, 1694 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Drabbar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drabbar Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Drabbar include Draper, Drapere, Draiper, Draeper, Drapar, Drapir, Drayper, Dreypar, Drapper, Drapier, Drabber, Drapber, Drabper, Drappar and many more.

Early Notables of the Drabbar family

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

Migration of the Drabbar family to Ireland

Some of the Drabbar family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Drabbar family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Henry Draper settled in Virginia in 1621; the year after the "Mayflower" landed, and many of the name were banished to Barbados where they settled from the year 1654. John Draper was banished in 1654.

The Drabbar Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Vincit pepercit
Motto Translation: He conquered, he spared

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)