Show ContentsAgglionbey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Agglionbey came to England with the ancestors of the Agglionbey family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Agglionbey family lived in the parish "of Sainte-Marie-de-la-Haie d'Aigullon, which was granted in 1213 by Philip de Vassy to Jordan, Bishop of Bayeux, on the foundation of his abbey of Mondaye. Robert d'Aigullon and his son witness a charter of Stephen, Count of Chartres, in 1100. " 1

" 'Rogerus Aculeus,' a sub-tenant in the Exon Domesday, is believed to be the ancestor of the English house, which first became of note in the reign of Coeur de Lion. One of the first on record was Manser or Manasser de Aguillon, who obtained from the King a confirmation of his land, and died before 1194, when Godfrey de St. Martin paid £100 for license to marry Constance, his widow, 'with her inheritance.' " 2

Early Origins of the Agglionbey family

The surname Agglionbey was first found in Cumberland where they were Lords of the Manor of Aglionby from very ancient times. They were descended from Ranulph, Earl of Carlisle, Lord of Cumberland and Carlisle, who exchanged the earldom of Chester for that of Carlisle. The Earls of Chester were previously viscounts of Bessin in the department of Calvados in Normandy. The first in Cumberland about 1150 was Walter de Aguilon.

The township of Linstock in Cumberland was home to the family in later years. "A little north-eastward of Linstock is Drawdykes Castle, originally erected with the materials of the Roman wall, which crossed its site, and partially rebuilt in the seventeenth century, by John Aglionby, Esq., recorder of Carlisle, who placed on the battlements three Roman stone busts, which yet remain: this ancient seat is now a farmhouse." 3

"Walter d'Aguilon came [to Cumberland] in the train of Earl Ranulph de Meschines, and gave his name to his dwelling-place, still called the manor of Aguilon, or Aglionby. His descendants remained till 1785, when Christopher Aglionby 'died a bachelor in the flower of his age, the last of the male line of this ancient family.' "-Hutchinson's Cumberland.

Early History of the Agglionbey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Agglionbey research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1286, 1520, 1536, 1583, 1587, 1603, 1610, 1642, 1643, 1705, 1715 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Agglionbey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Agglionbey Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Aglionby, Agglionby, Acclionby, Aclionby and others.

Early Notables of the Agglionbey family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Edward Aglionby (1520-ca. 1587), English poet, educated at Eton, and elected to King's College, Cambridge, 1536, Justice of the Peace in Warwickshire, and wrote a genealogy of Queen Elizabeth and was "born at Carlisle in 1520, and educated at Eton, from whence he was elected in 1536 to a scholarship at King's College, Cambridge." 4 John Aglionby (died ca. 1610), was an eminent divine, son...
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Agglionbey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Agglionbey family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Agglionbey or a variant listed above: Will Aglionby settled in Georgia, no date was recorded.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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