Burnabee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Burnabee dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Barnby Hall, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The name of that place is derived from the Old English personal name Beornwald, which comes from the words beorn, meaning young warrior, and wald, meaning rule. 1 Today, Barnby is also a village and civil parish in the Waveney district of Suffolk.

Early Origins of the Burnabee family

The surname Burnabee was first found in Yorkshire, where the earliest record is at Barnby Hall, in the parish of Calthorne, in the east riding of Yorkshire. 2 "The township anciently belonged to a family of the same name; mention occurring of Robert de Barneby, who held the lands under Peter de Mauley, lord of Mulgrave." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Richard de Barneby in Yorkshire; and Henry de Barneby in Lincolnshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed: Thomas de Barmby; and Thomas de Barnby. 4

Barnby in the North Riding of Yorkshire was an ancient family seat. "The township anciently belonged to a family of the same name; mention occurring of Robert de Barneby, who held the lands under Peter de Mauley, lord of Mulgrave." 3

Early History of the Burnabee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burnabee research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1550, 1838 and 1875 are included under the topic Early Burnabee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burnabee Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Burnabee have been found, including Barneby, Barnby, Barnaby, Bernaby, Burnaby and many more.

Early Notables of the Burnabee family

Notables of the family at this time include Joseph Barnby, born at York Aug. 12, 1838, a chorister in York Minster, and student at the Royal Academy of Music: was for nine years organist of St. Andrew's, Wells Street, London, and contributed much...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burnabee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burnabee family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Burnabee, or a variant listed above: John Barnabie who settled in Virginia in 1620; James Barnaby who settled in Virginia in 1640; Sarah Barnaby who settled in Virginia in 1640.

The Burnabee 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: Virtute non vi
Motto Translation: By virtue not by force.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)