Frisebey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Frisebey family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Leicestershire, in a town called Frisby which is now lost to the map. A number of towns called Frisby exist in England, all deriving their names from the Old Norman word frisir, which indicated someone from the area of Frisia or Friesland.

Early Origins of the Frisebey family

The surname Frisebey was first found in Leicestershire where the family were Lords of the manor of Frisby at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, 1 a survey by William the Conqueror in 1086, after his conquest of England in 1066 A.D. Conjecturally they are descended from Fulk, a Norman noble who held this land from Hugh de Grandmesnil. The village is now deserted and lies on Frisby Hall farmland. Also in Leicestershire Frisby on the Wreake were estates held by Earl Hugh and may have had some connection to the family.

Early History of the Frisebey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Frisebey research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1929 and 1965 are included under the topic Early Frisebey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Frisebey Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Frisbie, Frisby, Frisbee, Frisebie, Frisebye, Friseby and many more.

Early Notables of the Frisebey family

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

Migration of the Frisebey family to Ireland

Some of the Frisebey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Frisebey family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Frisebey or a variant listed above were: Richard Frisbie who settled Virginia in 1619 before the "Mayflower"; Elizabeth Frisby settled in Virginia in 1635; Ann Frisby settled in Virginia in 1637.

The Frisebey 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: Semper fidelis
Motto Translation: Always faithful.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)