Show ContentsAntrobus History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Antrobus

What does the name Antrobus mean?

Antrobus is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Antrobus family lived in Cheshire, where they held lands and a family seat at Antrobus.

Early Origins of the Antrobus family

The surname Antrobus was first found in Cheshire at Antrobus, a civil parish and village in the parish of Great Budworth, union of Runcorn and the hundred of Bucklow. The place name dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Entrebus. At that time, it was part of the Tunnendune hundred and there was land enough for one plough. 1 Literally, the place name means 'within the woods' having been derived from the Norman-French Entre-bois. "Antrobus Hall and demesne belonged to the family of Antrobus from an early period till the reign of Henry IV., when it was sold to the Venables family. The estate was purchased in 1808 of Edward Townshend, Esq., of Chester, by Edmond Antrobus, Esq., a descendant of the former proprietors, and is now the property of Sir Edmund W. Antrobus, Bart." 2

Early History of the Antrobus family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Antrobus research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1460, 1604 and 1808 are included under the topic Early Antrobus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Antrobus Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Anthrobus, Antrobus, Antrobuss, Entrobus and others.

Early Notables of the Antrobus family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir Edmund Antrobus


Antrobus migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Antrobus or a variant listed above:

Antrobus Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mrs. Joan Antrobus, aged 65, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter" 3
  • Benjamin Antrobus who settled in West New Jersey in 1664
  • Sara Antrobus, who landed in Virginia in 1698 3
  • Jer Antrobus, who landed in Virginia in 1698 3
Antrobus Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Antrobus, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1700 3
  • Thomas Antrobus, his wife Margaret, and four daughters, settled in Georgia in 1733
  • Mr. Antrobus, who landed in Georgia in 1735 3
Antrobus Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Alfred Antrobus, aged 24, who landed in America from Alderly Edge, England, in 1911
  • Edmond Antrobus, aged 24, who landed in America from London, England, in 1911
  • Edward Antrobus, aged 64, who immigrated to the United States from Amesbury, England, in 1913
  • Alice Antrobus, aged 17, who settled in America from Bury, England, in 1914
  • Frank Antrobus, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1917
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Antrobus migration to Australia +

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

Antrobus Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Alexander Antrobus, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • William Antrobus, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 29, 1828, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Antrobus (post 1700) +

  • Robert Crawfurd Antrobus (1830-1911), English businessman, politician and cricketer
  • Sir Philip Coutts Antrobus (1908-1995), 7th Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine
  • Sir Philip Humphrey Antrobus (1876-1968), 6th Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine
  • Sir Cosmo Gordon Antrobus (1859-1939), 5th Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine
  • Sir Edmund Antrobus (1848-1915), 4th Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine
  • Sir Edmund Antrobus (1792-1870), 2nd Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine
  • Sir Edmund Antrobus (d. 1826), 1st Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine, a Fellow of the Royal Society who re-purchased Antrobus Hall in Cheshire
  • Sir Edward Philip Antrobus (b. 1938), 8th Baronet of Antrobus in the County Palatine, retired first-class cricketer
  • John Antrobus (b. 1933), English playwright and script writer
  • Colonel Ronald Antrobus (1891-1980), High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1960 and a Deputy Lieutenant
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Antrobus 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: Dei memor, gratus amicis
Motto Translation: Mindful of God.


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 24) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1828 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1828


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