Show ContentsSamburne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Samburne family

The surname Samburne was first found in Warwickshire at Sambourn, formerly spelled Sambourne, a hamlet and civil parish in the parish of Coughton and including Evesham Abbey. The name literally means "sandy stream" derived from the Old English "sand" + "burna" 1

The earliest reference to Sambourne is in 714 when it was listed as being given by Egwin Bishop of Worcester to the monastery at Evesham upon its foundation. Years later the Domesday Book 2 the village was listed as Sandburne and was held as "the land of the Church of Evesham." At that time, there was land for 4 ploughs, 2 slaves, 2 villagers and 4 smallholders with 3 ploughs and was worth 20-30 shillings.

By the seventeenth century, Sambourne was one of the earliest centers of the local needle-making industry, By the late 1800s, the village contained 662 residents and comprised 2,200 acres. Today, the village has 1,805 residents as of 2001 and is now largely agricultural.

One of the first records of the family was Peter de Samborne who was listed in Somerset in Kirby's Quest temp. 1 Edward III. 3 4 Philip de Sambourne was listed in 1297 and Peter de Samborne was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in 1327. 5

Early History of the Samburne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Samburne research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1577 and 1601 are included under the topic Early Samburne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Samburne Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Sambourne, Sambourn, Sanborn, Sanbounre, Sanborne, Samborn, Samburn, Sanburn, Sandborn, Sandorne, Sanbourne, Sandbourn, Samburne, Sandburn, Sandburne and many more.

Early Notables of the Samburne family

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

Migration of the Samburne family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Samburne or a variant listed above: John and William Samborne (sometimes spelt Sanborn) and their grandfather, the Reverend. Stephen Bachiler of Hampton, who all settled in Boston in 1632.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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