Osburne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

One of the most common classes of Scottish surnames is the patronymic surname, which arose out of the vernacular and religious naming traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Patronymic surnames of this type were usually derived from the personal name of the original bearer's father. The surname Osburne is derived from the Old Norse personal name Asbjorn, meaning divine bear. Alternatively the name was Anglicized as Osbeorn and Osbern from the Old English word "be(o)rn" which meant "god warrior." Osbernus was presbyter in record (1097-1107), and Osbern was capellanus (chaplain) from 1107 to 1124. Osbernus was abbot of Jaddewurd, (c. 1150) and Osbern was capellanus of Glasgow, c. 1180. 1

Early Origins of the Osburne family

The surname Osburne was first found in Kent, where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated as Lords of the manor of Hartlip. They were descended from Sarum in Normandy, Osborne was expelled from Normandy in 1054 by King William. He sought refuge at the Court of MacBeth in Scotland, however he made his peace with William after the Conquest and was elected Bishop of Sarum and became one of only three people permitted to dine at the King's Table.

Early History of the Osburne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Osburne research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1180, 1398, 1399, 1513, 1596, 1639, 1648, 1649, 1656, 1667, 1671, 1685, 1715, 1730 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Osburne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Osburne Spelling Variations

Scottish surnames are distinguished by a multitude of spelling variations because, over the centuries, the names were frequently translated into and from Gaelic. Furthermore, the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent because medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. The different versions of a surname, such as the inclusion of the patronymic prefix "Mac", frequently indicated a religious or Clan affiliation or even a division of the family. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into Scotland, accelerating accentuating the alterations to various surnames. The name Osburne has also been spelled Osborne, Osborn, Osbourne, Osbourn, Osburn, Osburne, Osbern and many more.

Early Notables of the Osburne family

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

Migration of the Osburne family to Ireland

Some of the Osburne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 132 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Osburne migration to the United States +

Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Osburne, or a variant listed above:

Osburne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Osburne, who landed in Virginia in 1664 2

Osburne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Margaret Osburne, aged 27, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 2
Jane Osburne, aged 6, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 2
James Osburne, aged 4, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 2
Betsy, James, Margaret, Mary, and Samuel Osburne all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860

Osburne migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Osburne Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Sgt. Samuel Osburne U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 3

The Osburne Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pax in bello
Motto Translation: Peace in war.

Citations +

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)
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X