Show ContentsFerbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ferbay family

The surname Ferbay was first found in Lincolnshire where John de Ferieby was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1212. Later, William de Feriby was listed in Berkshire in 1301 and Wylliam Feraby was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1524. 1

South Ferriby is a parish, in the union of Glandford-Brigg, N. division of the wapentake of Yarborough, parts of Lindsey, in Lincolnshire and North Ferriby is a parish, in the county of the town of Hull, union of Sculcoates, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. "A priory of Knights Templars founded here by Lord Eustace de Vesci, of Bromfleet, was, at the suppression of that order, converted into a priory of Augustine canons. " 2

Early History of the Ferbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferbay research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1106, 1432, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1573, 1589, 1591, 1592, 1595, 1600 and 1613 are included under the topic Early Ferbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferbay Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Ferbay has appeared include Fereby, Ferby, Furby, Ferbie, Furbie, Fearby, Fearbie, Fireby, Firby and many more.

Early Notables of the Ferbay family

Distinguished members of the family include George Ferebee, or Feribye, or Ferrabee (fl. 1613), an English composer from Gloucestershire. He was the son of a Gloucestershire yeoman, was born about 1573, and matriculated at Oxford 25 Oct. 1589, aged 16. " He was a chorister of Magdalen College until 1591. He was admitted B.A. 1592, licensed to be M.A. 9 July 1595, and became vicar of Bishop's Cannings, Wiltshire. Wood relates how Ferebe found and ingeniously made use of an opportunity to display his...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ferbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ferbay family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Ferbay arrived in North America very early: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


Houseofnames.com on Facebook