| ![Show Contents]() Cosbey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of CosbeyWhat does the name Cosbey mean? The Anglo-Saxon name Cosbey comes from the family having resided 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 Cosbey 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 Cosbey familyThe surname Cosbey 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 Cosbey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cosbey 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 Cosbey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Cosbey Spelling VariationsCosbey has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Cosby, Cosbie, Cosbey, Cosbye, Cossbye and others. Early Notables of the Cosbey familyMore information is included under the topic Early Cosbey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Cosbey family to IrelandSome of the Cosbey 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.
| Cosbey migration to the United States | + |
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Cosbeys to arrive on North American shores:
Cosbey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Samuel Cosbey, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1802 4
- William Cosbey, who 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.
- 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)
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