Show ContentsFilbee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Filbee family

The surname Filbee was first found in Norfolk at Filby, a parish, in the East and West Flegg incorporation, hundred of East Flegg. 1 This parish dates back to before the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Filebey. 2 Literally the place name means "farmstead or village of a man called Fili or Fila." 3

So, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the village and lands of Filby, held by Thorold, Sheriff of Lincolnshire, from William de Warrenne, a Norman Baron, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. At the time of the Domesday the village contained 10 salthouses and was surrounded by Filbey Broad.

Early History of the Filbee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Filbee research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1273, 1280, 1315, 1325, 1557, 1581, 1582 and 1886 are included under the topic Early Filbee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Filbee Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Filby, Filbey, Filbee, Filbie, Philby, Philbey, Phillbee, Fylbey, Fylby and many more.

Early Notables of the Filbee family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Filbie (c.1557-1582), an English Roman Catholic priest from Oxfordshire. " On 25 March 1581 he was ordained priest in the church of St. Mary at Rheims, by the bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne, and soon afterwards he returned to England upon the mission. He was apprehended at Henley while incautiously attempting to speak to Father Edmund Campion, who was being conducted to London with other prisoners (Simpson, Edmund Campion, p. 228). They were all committed to the Tower, 22 July 1581. Filbie...
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Filbee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Filbee family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Filbee or a variant listed above: 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. 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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