Denby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

(224)

The ancestors of the name Denby date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Danby, the name of two parishes in Yorkshire and Derbyshire. The place-name Danby is derived from the Old English word dan.

Early Origins of the Denby family

The surname Denby was first found in West Yorkshire at Denby Dale where the first record of the place name was in the Domesday Book where it was listed as Denebi. 1 Today Denby Dale is a village and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of Kirklees and is known for baking giant pies, a tradition first started in 1788 to celebrate the recovery of King George III from his mental illness.

Alternatively the name could have been derived from Danby, a parish, in the union of Guisborough, E. division of the liberty of Langbaurgh, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. "This place, which was formerly of considerable importance, was granted by the Conqueror to Robert de Brus, who held of the king in capite, and who built a castle here; which, with the estate, remained with the family till the time of Henry III. " 2

Another branch of the family was found in the parish of Shilton in Warwickshire. "It was formerly the residence of a branch of the Denbigh family, whose ancient mansion is still remaining." 2

The variant Tenby, Thinbegh and Tynbegh originated in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Some of this family emigrated to Ireland. William Tynbegh, or de Thinbegh (c.1370-1424) was an Irish lawyer who held the office of Chief Justice and Lord High Treasurer of Ireland.

Early History of the Denby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Denby research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1189, 1212, 1300, 1419, 1421, 1423, 1426, 1474, 1503, 1530, 1554, 1571, 1575, 1576, 1590, 1610, 1631, 1655, 1660, 1667, 1727, 1757, 1781, 1787 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Denby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Denby Spelling Variations

Denby has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Denby have been found, including Danby, Danbie, Danbey and others.

Early Notables of the Denby family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Denby, British politician, Member of Parliament for Wallingford (1419 and 1426)
John Denby, British politician, Member of Parliament for Ludgershall (1421 and 1423)

Denby Ranking

In the United States, the name Denby is the 11,721^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Denby migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Denbys to arrive on North American shores:

Denby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Denby, who arrived in Maryland in 1654 4
Marg Denby, who landed in Virginia in 1658 4
Denis Denby, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 4

Denby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Denby, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 4
Edward Denby, who landed in Virginia in 1704 4
Sara Denby, who landed in Virginia in 1704 4
Tho Denby, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 4
Ralph Denby, who arrived in Virginia in 1719 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Denby migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Denby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Edward Denby, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Stephen Denby, English convict who was convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6

Denby 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:

Denby Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mary A. Denby, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865
Charles James Denby, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Armstrong" in 1865
Alfred Denby, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874 7
Mr. Alfred Denby, (b. 1846), aged 28, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 8
John Denby, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1880 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Denby (post 1700) +

David Denby, American author and former Senior Lecturer in French at Dublin City University
David Denby (b. 1943), American journalist and film critic for The New Yorker magazine
Colonel Charles Denby (1830-1904), U.S. Union officer in the Civil War and diplomat; he had Denby House in Mobile, Alabama built in 1873 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 5, 1984
Charles Denby Jr. (1861-1938), American diplomat in China and later in Vienna, Austria, son of Colonel Charles Denby
Edwin Orr Denby (1903-1983), American writer of dance criticism, poetry, perhaps best known for his collaboration with Orson Welles in translating the 1851 French comedy The Italian Straw Hat to the American stage, son of Charles Denby Jr
Edwin Denby (1870-1929), American lawyer and politician, 42nd United States Secretary of the Navy (1921-1924), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan (1905-1911) and 1903
John Denby, English footballer who played as a half back for Southampton from 1911 to 1915
John Denby, British founder of Denbies Wine Estate, near Dorking, Surrey in the mid 18th century, the largest vineyard in England with 265 acres
John Denby, British luger who competed for Great Britain at the 1980 Winter Olympics
Clive Denby Matthewson MNZM (b. 1944), New Zealand civil engineer and former politician