Show ContentsByrnebey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Byrnebey is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having 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 Byrnebey family

The surname Byrnebey 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 Byrnebey family

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

Byrnebey Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Byrnebey has been recorded under many different variations, including Burnaby, Burnby, Bernaby, Burneby and others.

Early Notables of the Byrnebey 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 Byrnebey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Byrnebey family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Byrnebey 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.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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