The name Abby was first used centuries ago in the region that was once the Scottish kingdom of Dalriada. It was a name for a person who was a
lay-abbot of a monastery. In the Middle Ages, this was the title held usually by the leading family of the village.
Early Origins of the Abby family
The surname Abby was first found in the county of
Angus, in the parish of Abbey and Brechin. The first record was of Donald Abbe of Brechin in 1178, who witnessed a charter with Turpin, Bishop of Brechin, and later he gifted the lands of Balegillegrand to the Abbey of Arbroath, which grant was confirmed by King William the Lion.
Early History of the Abby family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Abby research.
Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1219 and 1370 are included under the topic Early Abby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Abby Spelling Variations
Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with
spelling variations. In various documents Abby has been spelled Abbey, Aba, Abbe, Abbie, Abey, Abbeys, Aby and others.
Early Notables of the Abby family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Abby Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Abby family to Ireland
Some of the Abby family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 54 words (4 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 Abby family to the New World and Oceana
These settlers arrived in North America at a time when the east was burgeoning with prosperous colonies and the expanses of the west were just being opened up. The American
War of Independence was also imminent. Some Scots stayed to fight for a new country, while others who remained loyal went north as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of them went on to rediscover their heritage in the 20th century through highland games and other patriotic Scottish events. The Abby were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:
Abby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Jo Abby, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - Jo Abby, aged 22, who landed in Virginia in 1635 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - Jon Abby, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - Jonathan Abby, who landed in Virginia in 1653 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Abby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Jane Abby, who landed in Virginia in 1703 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)