Show ContentsAldeburgh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Aldeburgh

What does the name Aldeburgh mean?

The name Aldeburgh reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Aldeburgh family lived in Suffolk where they were first established as Lords of the Manor of Aldborough.

Early Origins of the Aldeburgh family

The surname Aldeburgh was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Aldborough. At the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086, a census of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066, Aldborough was held by Norman from his chief tenants, the Abbot of Ely and Robert Malet's mother. Conjecturally the family name is descended from this source. At this time, Aldborough consisted of a village with two churches.

John de Dalderby (d. 1320), Bishop of Lincoln, "took his name from, and perhaps was born in, a small village near Horncastle, Lincolnshire, now united with Scrivelsby. The first mention of him occurs as canon of St. David's. He became archdeacon of Carmarthen in 1283 (Wharton, Anglia Sacra). He was appointed chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and head of the theological school there, which had obtained high reputation at this period. " 1

Early History of the Aldeburgh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aldeburgh research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1371, 1500, 1584, 1617, 1630 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Aldeburgh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aldeburgh Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Aldeburgh family name include Aldborough, Alderborough, Aldbrough, Aldbrow, Aldeborough, Aldburc, Aldburgh, Aldberg, Elderborough, Alborough, Albrough and many more.

Early Notables of the Aldeburgh family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Baron Aldeburgh

Migration of the Aldeburgh family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Aldeburgh family to immigrate North America: John Aldburgh who settled in Massachusetts in 1634.



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


Houseofnames.com on Facebook