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![Show Contents]() Westberray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The Westberray surname is a habitational name from any of various places named Westbury, for example in Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Shropshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. These place names all come from the Old English words "west," or "west," and "burh," which is a fortress or fortified town. Early Origins of the Westberray familyThe surname Westberray was first found in Buckinghamshire, where a family took on the name of the Parish of Westbury: a Walter de Westbury held the manor before 1198 and was succeeded by his son, William de Westbury prior to 1203. Other earcly records of the name occur in Worcester, where the first on record appears to be Wiiliam de Westbir listed there in 1208 in the Liber Feodorum. A John de Westbyr is listed in that same volume in Hampshire in 1242. A deed of a gift of land in Enfield (greater London) in 1433 record a John Westbury junior, and his brother William Westbury. Early History of the Westberray familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Westberray research. Another 29 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1385, 1417, 1419, 1438, 1442, 1447, 1448, 1784, 1793 and 1851 are included under the topic Early Westberray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Westberray Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Westberray has been spelled many different ways, including Westbury, Westburie and others. Early Notables of the Westberray familyNotables of the family at this time include William de Westbury (c. 1385-1448), justice of the King's Bench in Wiltshire in 1438; John Westbury of Hill Deverill, Wiltshire (died ca. 1448), also called John de Westbury and John of Westbury, English Member of Parliament for Wiltshire in 1417 and...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Westberray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Westberray familyThousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Westberrays to arrive in North America: Ann Westbury, a servant sent from Bristol to Barbados in 1659; Prudence Westbury, who arrived in Virginia in 1664; Edward Westbury, who settled in South Carolina sometime between 1670 and 1677.
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