Show ContentsMarburie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Marburie family, who lived in Cheshire, at the manor of Marbury, from whence they took their name. However, we must look to Normandy to find the first record of the family. It was there that "Nicholas Merbury, Butler of the King, Normandy" 1 was found 1180-1195.

Alternatively, the family could have descended from Marlborough, a borough and market-town, and the head of a union, in the hundred of Selkley in Wiltshire.

"The name, anciently written Marleberg, or Marlbridge, is supposed to be derived from the marl, or chalk, hills by which the town is surrounded. At the time of the Norman survey [(1086]), Marlborough had a church, and was held in royal demesne; soon after, a castle was erected, which seems to have been the cause of the subsequent enlargement of the town. In the time of Richard I., and during his imprisonment in Austria, his brother John took possession of this fortress; but Richard, on his return from captivity, seized it, with all the other possessions belonging to his brother, and on their reconciliation he still retained the castle of Marlborough in his own hands. " 2 In this case, the first on record was Alured de Merleberge who held lands here at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. 1

Early Origins of the Marburie family

The surname Marburie was first found in Cheshire at Marbury, a township, in the parish of Great Budworth, union of Northwich, hundred of Bucklow. 2 3

The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Merberie and was held by William Malbank, who held them from Earl Harold. 4 Literally, it means "fortified place near a lake," from the Old English words "mere" + "burh." 5

One of the first records of the family in England was Thomas of Marlborough (died 1236), a medieval English monk and writer, Abbot of Evesham Abbey in 1230.

A few years later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed John de Marleberge as holding lands in Oxfordshire at that time. 3

Early History of the Marburie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marburie research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1404, 1414, 1425, 1456, 1528, 1555, 1610, 1611, 1626 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Marburie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marburie Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Marbury, Marburie, Marberrie, MarBerry, Merbury, Marburry, Marburrie, Marbery, Marberie and many more.

Early Notables of the Marburie family

More information is included under the topic Early Marburie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Marburie family to Ireland

Some of the Marburie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Marburie migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Marburie or a variant listed above:

Marburie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Gilbert Marburie, aged 32, who landed in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship "Southampton" 6


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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