Fornbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Early Origins of the Fornbay family

The surname Fornbay was first found in Lancashire at Formby, a chapelry, in the parish of Waltonon-the-Hill, union of Ormskirk, hundred of West Derby. "This place was held in early times, as at present, by different proprietors; a large portion of the property descended to the Blundells, of Ince-Blundell, holders of the manor jointly with the Formby family, the latter descendants of Thomas de Forneby, who was living in the 46th of Edward III. Formby Hall is the seat of the Formby family." ^[1] Conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Formby, Roger of Poitou, a Norman Baron, who held the marshes of Formby and who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. This Roger, who was at the battle of Hastings, assumed a variety of different surnames including Pictavensis, which deduced to Poitevin. He may have granted Formby to a junior relative as was the custom, because his main holdings were in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Succeeding was Adam of Formby in 1332.

Important Dates for the Fornbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fornbay research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fornbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fornbay Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Fornbay family name include Formby, Formbey, Formbie, Fornby and others.

Early Notables of the Fornbay family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Fornbay family

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Fornbay family to immigrate North America: Mary Formby, who arrived in Virginia in 1680; and Thomas Formby, who arrived in New York in 1831.

Citations

1. ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.