Show ContentsMcCorbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the McCorbay family

The surname McCorbay was first found in Cumberland, where "Alexander Corbie was retoured heir of Alexander Corbie, his father, in four sixteen parts of the lands of Luthrie, 1615 (Retours, Fife, 255). John Corbie, messenger in New Milne in 1676, and seven more of the name are recorded in the Kirkcudbright Commissariot Record in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries." 1

"Corbey is the Norman-French pronunciation of Corbet or Corbett." 2

Early History of the McCorbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCorbay research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1598, 1604, 1615, 1637, 1644 and 1649 are included under the topic Early McCorbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCorbay Spelling Variations

In Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. McCorbay has been spelled Corby, Corbie and others.

Early Notables of the McCorbay family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Gerard Corbie or Corbington (1558-1637), a Catholic exile, "a native of the county of Durham. He was a severe sufferer for his profession of the catholic faith, being compelled frequently to cross to Ireland, and ultimately he became a voluntary exile with his family in Belgium."...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McCorbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the McCorbay family to Ireland

Some of the McCorbay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McCorbay family

Unrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Benjamine Corby who settled in Maryland in 1775; Thomas and William settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1799 and 1846; respectively.



  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook