Tunbridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Tunbridge family
The surname Tunbridge was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the village and lands of Tonbridge. held by the Bishop of Rochester, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086.
Early History of the Tunbridge family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tunbridge research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tunbridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Tunbridge Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Tunbridge, Tobridge, Tonbrigg, Tunbrigg, Tunbrick and many more.
Early Notables of the Tunbridge family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- the Tunbridge family of Essex
Tunbridge migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Tunbridge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Joseph Tunbridge, who arrived in Virginia in 1719 2
- Patrick Tunbridge, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1745 2
Tunbridge Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Mrs. Sarah Tunbridge, aged 24, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
- Mr. William Tunbridge, aged 27, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
- Miss Louisa Tunbridge, aged 18, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
Tunbridge 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:
Tunbridge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Tunbridge, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1863 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Tunbridge (post 1700) +
- Geoff Tunbridge (1932-2015), Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club (1957-1962)
Citations +
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- 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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html