Show ContentsBushby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Bushby surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in either of the places called Bushby in Leicester and/or at Busby in the North Riding of Yorkshire. The Yorkshire branch of the Bushby family stemmed from Great Busby, a township in the parish of Stokesley in the North Riding of the county. The Leicester branch of the family came from the hamlet of Busby, which was in the parish of Thurnby.

Early Origins of the Bushby family

The surname Bushby was first found in Leicestershire at Bushby, a hamlet, in the parish of Thurnby, union of Billesdon, hundred of Gartree. 1

Early History of the Bushby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bushby research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bushby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bushby Spelling Variations

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 Bushby include Bushby, Bushbury, Bushbure, Bushbie and others.

Early Notables of the Bushby family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Bushby of Wormley and Bronwylfa Hall


Bushby migration to the United States +

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:

Bushby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Bushby who settled in Virginia in 1730
  • Mary Bushby, who settled in New England in 1746
Bushby Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Bushby, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1846
  • Thomas Bushby, aged 56, who arrived in New York in 1868 2

Bushby migration to Australia +

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

Bushby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Christian Bushby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Aden" in 1849 3
  • John Bushby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Stebonheath" in 1849 4
  • Margaret Bushby, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Stebonheath" in 1849 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Bushby (post 1700) +

  • Robert Bushby (b. 1843), American Republican politician, Cortland County Treasurer, 1876-84; Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1884 (alternate), 1888; Presidential Elector for New York, 1900 5
  • Karl Bushby (b. 1969), British ex-paratrooper and adventurer


The Bushby 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: Fructu non foliis
Motto Translation: Fruit, not leaves


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Aden from London via Plymouth Adealide Arriving September 12th 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849AdenRegister.htm
  4. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEBONHEATH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Stebonheath.htm
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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