Frizbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Frizbay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Frizbay family 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 Frizbay family

The surname Frizbay 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 Frizbay family

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

Frizbay 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 Frisbie, Frisby, Frisbee, Frisebie, Frisebye, Friseby and many more.

Early Notables of the Frizbay family

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

Migration of the Frizbay family to Ireland

Some of the Frizbay 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 Frizbay 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 Frizbay or a variant listed above: 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 Frizbay 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)