The ancestry of the name Digbey dates from the ancient
Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived at a
local where someone lived by a dike or ditch.
Early Origins of the Digbey family
The surname Digbey was first found in
Leicestershire where the family can be "traced nearly to the Conquest, and supposed to be of Saxon origin."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print. The name is actually derived from "Digby, in
Lincolnshire where Aelmar, the first recorded ancestor of the Digbys, held lands in 1086."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Early History of the Digbey family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Digbey research.
Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1653, 1578, 1606, 1605, 1603, 1665, 1580, 1653, 1580, 1658, 1612, 1677, 1657, 1686, 1685, 1686, 1618, 1664, 1640, 1642, 1720, 1679, 1691, 1691 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Digbey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Digbey Spelling Variations
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few
hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Digbey have been found, including Digby, Digbie and others.
Early Notables of the Digbey family (pre 1700)
Notables of the family at this time include Sir Everard Digby (1578-1606), conspirator involved in the abortive 1605 Gunpowder Plot to assassinate King James I of
England and VI of
Scotland and Members of the Parliament of
England. He was found guilty and unremorseful, and executed as a traitor. Despite his...
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Digbey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Digbey family to Ireland
Some of the Digbey family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 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 Digbey family to the New World and Oceana
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in
England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in
England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Digbey, or a variant listed above: Charles Digby who settled in Montserrat in 1663; Edward Digby was one of the original settlers in Maine in 1607; John Digby settled in Jamaica in 1661.
The Digbey Motto
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: Deo non fortuna
Motto Translation: Through God not by chance.