Camrey is a name that first reached
England following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Camrey family lived in
Leicestershire. The family name, though, is a reference to the area of
Cambrai, near Falaise, in
Normandy. Originally erected in the 6th century as the Diocese of Cambrai, its jurisdiction was immense and included even Brussels and Antwerp.
Early Origins of the Camrey family
The surname Camrey was first found in
Leicestershire, where Godridius (Geoffroi) de Chambrai was awarded estates in return for his service to William the Conqueror. Wace, the Norman poet, mentions Cil de Combrai as one of the knights who challenged King Harold to come forth at Senlac in 1066 and this is probably a reference to Geoffroi de Cambrai.
Early History of the Camrey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Camrey research.
Another 495 words (35 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1199, 1203, 1273, 1500, 1664, 1701, 1798 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Camrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Camrey Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few
hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Camrey are characterized by many
spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Camrey include Cambrey, Cambray, Cambrai, Combray, Cambreye, Camray and many more.
Early Notables of the Camrey family (pre 1700)
Another 21 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Camrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Camrey family to the New World and Oceana
Faced with the chaos present in
England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as
Australia and
Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from
England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Camrey, or a variant listed above: Joseph Cambrey who arrived in Philadelphia in 1847.