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![Show Contents]() Cosbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of CosbayWhat does the name Cosbay mean? Cosbay is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in or near the place named Cosby, which was in the county of Leicestershire. The name of this settlement was originally derived from the Old English forename Cossa and the Old Norse word byr, which means farm; thus, it means Cossa's farm. The surname Cosbay belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Cosbay familyThe surname Cosbay was first found in Leicestershire at Cosby, a parish, in the union of Blaby, hundred of Guthlaxton. 1 This place name date back to at leat the Donesdfay Book of 1086 when it was known as Cossebi and literally meant "farmstead of village of a man called Cossa." 2 It is "said to have been the property of the family before the Conquest." 3 Early History of the Cosbay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cosbay research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1516, 1548, 1558, 1560, 1562, 1565 and 1580 are included under the topic Early Cosbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cosbay Spelling VariationsSound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Cosbay family name include Cosby, Cosbie, Cosbey, Cosbye, Cossbye and others. Early Notables of the Cosbay familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cosbay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cosbay family to IrelandSome of the Cosbay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cosbay familyFor political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Cosbay surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Cosby who settled in Virginia in 1654; Hannah Cosby settled in Charles Town in 1763; William Cosbey arrived in Philadelphia in 1874.
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: Sub libertate quietem
Motto Translation: Rest under liberty.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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