Show ContentsEldbro History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Eldbro

What does the name Eldbro mean?

Eldbro is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Eldbro family lived in Suffolk where they were first established as Lords of the Manor of Aldborough.

Early Origins of the Eldbro family

The surname Eldbro was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Aldborough. At the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086, a census of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066, Aldborough was held by Norman from his chief tenants, the Abbot of Ely and Robert Malet's mother. Conjecturally the family name is descended from this source. At this time, Aldborough consisted of a village with two churches.

John de Dalderby (d. 1320), Bishop of Lincoln, "took his name from, and perhaps was born in, a small village near Horncastle, Lincolnshire, now united with Scrivelsby. The first mention of him occurs as canon of St. David's. He became archdeacon of Carmarthen in 1283 (Wharton, Anglia Sacra). He was appointed chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and head of the theological school there, which had obtained high reputation at this period. " 1

Early History of the Eldbro family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eldbro research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1371, 1500, 1584, 1617, 1630 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Eldbro History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eldbro Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Aldborough, Alderborough, Aldbrough, Aldbrow, Aldeborough, Aldburc, Aldburgh, Aldberg, Elderborough, Alborough, Albrough and many more.

Early Notables of the Eldbro family

More information is included under the topic Early Eldbro Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Eldbro family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Eldbro or a variant listed above: John Aldburgh who settled in Massachusetts in 1634.



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


Houseofnames.com on Facebook