Burnby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient history of the Burnby name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in Burnby, or as the place-name was recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086, in Brunebi. Burnby is in the East Riding of Yorkshire having derived from the Old Norse, and means "farm or homestead by the spring or stream." 1

Another source claims the place name literally means the "residence of Beorn," 2

Early Origins of the Burnby family

The surname Burnby was first found in Leicestershire where "from the 13th to the 15th century the Burnebys were an influential county family; in the 17th century the Burnebys or Burnabys possessed a family vault in Asfordby church; Burnaby was a well - known and sometimes a distinguished clerical name in Leicestershire during last century. " 3

The name of De Burneby was represented in Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire in the 13th century. As to underscore that entry, we must look to Bedfordshire to find the first entry for the family in early rolls. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed John de Burneby as holding lands there at that time. 4

Early History of the Burnby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burnby research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1429, 1600, 1700 and 1703 are included under the topic Early Burnby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burnby Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Burnby include Burnaby, Burnby, Bernaby, Burneby and others.

Early Notables of the Burnby family

Notables of the family at this time include Charles Barnaby (fl. 1700-1703), author of four comedies. "The dedications to the printed editions of two of his plays are to the Duke of Ormonde and Lord...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burnby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burnby migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Burnby or a variant listed above:

Burnby Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Burnby, aged 26, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Alaska" from Liverpool, England 5
Minnie Burnby, aged 26, arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "Alaska" from Liverpool, England 5

Burnby migration to Australia +

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

Burnby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Burnby, English convict who was convicted in Coventry, West Midlands, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 30th September 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Burnby (post 1700) +

Juanita "Nita" Gordon Lloyd Burnby (1923-2010), born Juanita Gordon Lloyd Thomas, a British pharmacist who was president of the British Society for the History of Pharmacy

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden