Dalby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Dalby is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Dalby family lived in Yortkshire. The name derives, however, from the family's former place of residence, Auby, Normandy, where they would have been referred to as D'Auby, meaning from Auby. 1
Alternatively the name could have been a local name meaning "farmstead or village in a valley," 2 and this may explain the multiple parishes so called. The Yorkshire and Leicestershire parishes date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were each spelt "Dalbi." 3
Early Origins of the Dalby family
The surname Dalby was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire at Dalby, a parish, in the union of Easingwould, wapentake of Bulmer. 4 Dalby is also a parish in Lincolnshire, and Dalby Magna is found in Leicestershire. Dalby on the Woods or Old Dalby is also found in Leicestershire.
The earliest records of the family were found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379: Willelmus de Dalby, osteler; and Matilda Dalby. 5
Early History of the Dalby family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dalby research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1220, 1379, 1421, 1435, 1455, 1581, 1588, 1589, 1616, 1625, 1627, 1631, 1633, 1662, 1672, 1683, 1686, 1694, 1707, 1710, 1821, 1832, 1837 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Dalby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Dalby Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Dalby has been recorded under many different variations, including Dalby, Dalbie, Daylby, Dailby, D'Alby, D'Aubly and many more.
Early Notables of the Dalby family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- Richard Dalby (died before 1455), an English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Gloucester from 1421 to 1435
- Robert Dalby (died 1589), an English Catholic priest and martyr
- Edward Dalby (ca.1616-1672), a Recorder of Reading, Berkshire
Dalby migration to the United States +
To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Dalbys were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:
Dalby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- William Dalby, aged 28, who landed in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship "Furtherance" 6
- Ann Dalby, who landed in Maryland in 1675 6
- John Dalby, who settled in Virginia in 1679
- Thomas Dalby, aged 21, who landed in Maryland in 1684 6
Dalby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Susan Dalby, who settled in Maryland in 1736
Dalby Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Joseph Dalby, who arrived in New York in 1837 6
Dalby migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Dalby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Thomas Dalby, English convict who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emperor Alexander"on 6th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
- Mr. William Dalby, English convict who was convicted in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
- Catherine Dalby, aged 23, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "William Stuart" 9
Dalby migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Dalby Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- H Dalby, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
Contemporary Notables of the name Dalby (post 1700) +
- Liza Crihfield Dalby (b. 1950), American anthropologist and novelist specializing in Japanese culture
- David Merle Dalby (1950-2002), American football center
- Isaac Dalby (1744-1824), English mathematician, born in Gloucestershire
- Adrian Dalby (b. 1957), English former cricketer
- Richard Dalby (1949-2017), British ghost story editor, scholar and bookseller, co-founder of the Ghost Story Press in 1993
- William Dalby (1839-1916), Canadian merchant, real estate and insurance agent and politician, Mayor of Victoria, British Columbia from 1873 to 1875
- Irene Karine Dalby (b. 1971), Norwegian two-time gold and four-time bronze medalist swimmer in the 1990s
- Camilla Dalby (b. 1988), Danish bronze medalist team handball player, member of the Denmark National Team
The Dalby 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: In Deo spero
Motto Translation: I hope in God.
Citations +
- 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)
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emperor-alexander
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
- South Australian Register Friday 15 July 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Stuart 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamstuart1853.shtml