Byrnaby History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the name Byrnaby date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Byrnaby family lived 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 Byrnaby familyThe surname Byrnaby 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 Byrnaby familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Byrnaby research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1429, 1600, 1700 and 1703 are included under the topic Early Byrnaby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Byrnaby Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Byrnaby are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Byrnaby include: Burnaby, Burnby, Bernaby, Burneby and others. Early Notables of the Byrnaby familyNotables 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... Migration of the Byrnaby familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Byrnaby or a variant listed above: Carew Burnaby who settled in New England in 1759; and many settled in Canada and gave their name to Burnaby, B.C.
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