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The Anglo-Saxon name Westbee comes from when the family resided in Westby, a small village in Lincolnshire. The name was also found in Lancashire and West Yorkshire. The place name Westby comes from the Old Norse words vestr, or "west," and býr, meaning "a settlement."
The surname Westbee was first found in Lancashire. "The family assert a Saxon descent, and say that they were settled in the hundred of Amounderness, in that county, before the Conquest; but the first member of the family mentioned in the pedigree is Gilbert de Westby, sheriff of Lancashire in 1238." 1
We will not discount this reference's claim but wish to advise the reader that the Assize Rolls of Lincolnshire does list William de Westebi in 1219. 2
The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the pace name as Westbi. 3 The township of Medlar with Wesham in the parish of Kirkham was home to early members of the family. "On the dissolution of monasteries, the land seems to have been granted or sold to the family of Westby; in the reign of Philip and Mary, William Westbye held 'Medlarghe,' 'Wessham,' and other property in this quarter, and his descendants long continued to reside at Mowbrick Hall, now a farmhouse." 4
This latter source also notes the family held estates in Medlar, with Wesham, again in Lancashire: "On the dissolution of monasteries, the land seems to have been granted or sold to the family of Westby; in the reign of Philip and Mary, William Westbye held 'Medlarghe,' 'Wessham,' and other property in this quarter, and his descendants long continued to reside at Mowbrick Hall, now a farmhouse." 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Westbee research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1233 is included under the topic Early Westbee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Westbee include Westby, Westerby, Westbee, Westbie and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Westbee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Barbara Westby, who arrived in Maryland in 1656; Edward Westby, who came to Virginia in 1664; Joseph Westby and family, who came to New York in 1830; as well as James Westby, who was on record in the census of Ontario of 1871..