Show ContentsFelbridg History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Felbridg was derived from Felbrigg, a small village just south of Cromer in Norfolk. The place dates back to the Domesday Book where it was part of the North Erpingham Hundred and named Felebruge. The name was derived from the Old Norse "fjol" + the Old English word "brycg" and meant "bridge made of planks." 1 Today the Felbrigg Estate is owned by the National Trust and covers 1,760 acres and in the village church, 14th-century brasses of Sir Simon de Felbrigge and his wife can be viewed.

Early Origins of the Felbridg family

The surname Felbridg was first found in Norfolk at Felbrigg, a parish, in the union of Erpingham, hundred of North Erpingham. The church of Felbrigg gives evidence of the first record of the family. "On a large marble slab in the nave, is a fine brass representing the figure, in complete armour, of Sir Simon de Felbrigge, who lived in the reign of Henry VI., and was one of the early knights of the Garter." 2 He was born in Erpingham in 1367 and died there in 1443. He was son of Sir Roger Fylbrigg de Felbrigge (c. 1316-1380.) And he was son of Simon de Felbrigge, Lord of Felbrigge (c. 1274-1351.) His father Roger de Felbrigge (le Bigod), (1254-1295) was son of Sir Simon le Bigod. Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Felbrigg, Metton under-tenant of Roger Bigod who was recorded in the Domesday Book 3 census of 1086. Sir Simon de Felbrigge, son of Sir Roger Bigod, assumed the name of Felbrigg.

Early History of the Felbridg family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Felbridg research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1347, 1395, 1397 and 1620 are included under the topic Early Felbridg History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Felbridg Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Felbridge, Fellbridge, Felbrigge, Felbrige, Felbridg, Fellbrygge and many more.

Early Notables of the Felbridg family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Felbridg Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Felbridg family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Felbridg name or one of its variants: settlers were recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled on the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Boston, to Virginia, to Florida, and to the islands..



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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