Kingsbury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Kingsbury is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in one of the various parishes called KingsBerry (Kingbury), which had locations in the counties of Middlesex, Warwickshire, and Somerset. Literally the surname means "the King's Castle [Old English Cynges-burh, burh, a stronghold, &c.]" 1 Other sources claim the name literally means "the King's Manor" or "the King's Fort." 2 3
As noted, the place names were Anglo Saxon in origin and as such, predates the Norman Conquest. The Middlesex (London) parish dates back to 1044, when it was known as Kynges Byrig, but a few years later was listed as Chingesberie in the Domesday Book of 1086. The Somerset has the same spelling in the Domesday Book, but was listed as Cyncgesbyrig in 1065. 4 As one would presume, the Somerset spelling in 1065 likely influenced the spelling for the Middlesex parish in the Domesday Book.
Early Origins of the Kingsbury family
The surname Kingsbury was first found in Hertfordshire where John de Kingesberi was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1211. A few years later, William de Kynnesbir was listed in the Assize Rolls of Warwickshire in 1221. 5 And in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, Adam de Kinggesbire was listed as holding lands at that time in Lincolnshire. 6
"Kingsbury Hall [Warwickshire], now a farmhouse, is of great antiquity, and appears to have been originally of very considerable extent, and to have been defended by fortifications, of which some vestiges may still be traced. " 7
Early History of the Kingsbury family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kingsbury research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1380, 1390, 1603, 1662 and 1791 are included under the topic Early Kingsbury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kingsbury Spelling Variations
Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Kingsbury were recorded, including KingsBerry, Kingsbury and others.
Early Notables of the Kingsbury family
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kingsbury Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kingsbury Ranking
In the United States, the name Kingsbury is the 4,996th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 8
Migration of the Kingsbury family to Ireland
Some of the Kingsbury family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kingsbury migration to the United States +
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Kingsbury family emigrate to North America:
Kingsbury Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Joseph Kingsbury, who landed in Dedham, Massachusetts in 1628-1630 9
- Henry Kingsbury, Jr. of Suffolk, sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet, son of Henry and Margaret 9
- Henry Kingsbury of Suffolk, sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet
- Thomas Kingsbury of Suffolk, sailed from Isle of Wight arriving in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet, son of Henry and Margaret
- Thomas Kingsbury, who arrived in New England in 1630 9
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Kingsbury Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- W B Kingsbury, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 9
Kingsbury migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Kingsbury Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. William Kingsbury, British Convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
- Henry Kingsbury, aged 27, a plumber, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Magdalena" 11
- Samuel Kingsbury, aged 26, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Star Queen" 12
Contemporary Notables of the name Kingsbury (post 1700) +
- Edward M. Kingsbury (1854-1946), American journalist and reviewer who won a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
- Albert Kingsbury (1863-1943), American engineer, inventor and entrepreneur who held over fifty patents obtained between the years 1902 to 1930, best known for his hydrodynamic thrust bearing
- Jack Dean Kingsbury, American former Aubrey Lee Brooks professor of theology at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia
- Judge Sanford Kingsbury, American landowner who held the Kingsbury Plantation, Piscataquis County, Maine
- Howard Thayer Kingsbury Jr. (1904-1991), American gold medalist rower at the 1924 Summer Olympics
- Frederick John Kingsbury IV (1927-2011), American bronze medalist rower at the 1948 Summer Olympics
- Klifford Timothy "Kliff" Kingsbury (b. 1979), American football coach and former NFL quarterback
- Karen Kingsbury (b. 1963), American Christian novelist, former sports writer for the Los Angeles Times; she has written more than 50 novels, with nearly 13 million copies in print
- William Wallace Kingsbury (1828-1892), American politician, Delegate from the Territory of Minnesota
- Donald MacDonald Kingsbury (b. 1929), American two-time Hugo nominated and Prometheus Award winning science fiction author
- ... (Another 9 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Kingsbury 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: Prudens et innoccuus
Motto Translation: Wise and innoccuus
Citations +
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
- South Australian Register Friday 26th August 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Magdalena 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/magdalena1853.shtml
- South Australian Register Monday 1st January 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Star Queen 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/starqueen1854.shtml