Sawbee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Sawbee date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Sawbee family lived in the parish of Saxby in the counties of Lincolnshire and Leicestershire. The surname Sawbee is an example of a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. As a general rule, the greater the distance between an individual and their homeland, the larger the territory they were named after. For example, a person who only moved to another parish would be known by the name of their original village, while people who migrated to a different country were often known by the name of a region or country from which they came.

Early Origins of the Sawbee family

The surname Sawbee was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Sawbee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sawbee research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1616 and 1658 are included under the topic Early Sawbee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sawbee Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Sawbee are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Sawbee include: Saxby, Saxbe, Saxbie, Saxby and others.

Early Notables of the Sawbee family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sawbee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sawbee family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Sawbee or a variant listed above: John Saxby settled in Philadelphia in 1685 with his wife and five children.

The Sawbee 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: Sit saxum firmum
Motto Translation: Let the stone be firm.