Merburry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Merburry family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They 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 Merburry family

The surname Merburry 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 Merburry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merburry 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 Merburry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Merburry Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Marbury, Marburie, Marberrie, MarBerry, Merbury, Marburry, Marburrie, Marbery, Marberie and many more.

Early Notables of the Merburry family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Merbury of Lyonshall and Weobley, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1404 and 1425; John Merbury of Lyonshall and Weobley, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1414; Sir Laurence Murberry, High Sheriff of...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Merburry Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Merburry family to Ireland

Some of the Merburry 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.

Migration of the Merburry family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Merburry name or one of its variants: Gilbert Marburie who settled in Virginia in 1622; Richard Marbury settled in Virginia in 1643.

Citations +

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)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)