Horberray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Horberray come from when the family resided in the settlement of Horbury in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "This place is of ancient date, having been known previous to the Domesday survey." 1 At that time, it was known as Horberie and literally meant "stronghold on muddy land," from the Old English words "horu" + burh." 2

Early Origins of the Horberray family

The surname Horberray was first found in Yorkshire, where Jordan de Hordbir was the first found in the Assize Rolls of 1204. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one entry for the family: John de Horbiry, Yorkshire. The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III. had two entries: John de Horbiry, Bedfordshire and Elizabet de Horbiry, Bedfordshire, both 20 Edward I (during the twentieth year of Edward I's reign.) 4

In Norfolk, William de Horbury was rector of Ashill in 1335 5 and later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included: Robert Horbery, tayllour and Johannes de Horbyry. 4

Early History of the Horberray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horberray research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1634, 1707, 1726, 1729, 1730, 1733 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Horberray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horberray Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Horberray has been recorded under many different variations, including HorBerry, Horbury, Horbiry, Horberie, Horbery and many more.

Early Notables of the Horberray family

Distinguished members of the family include Matthew HorBerry (1707?-1773), English divine, born at Haxey, Lincolnshire, about 1707, was the son of Martin Horbery, vicar of Haxey and rector of Althorpe in the same county. After attending schools at Epworth...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Horberray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Horberray family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Horberray or a variant listed above: John Horby, who sailed to Philadelphia in 1876.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print