Show ContentsHambrook History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Hambrook belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in the parish of Hanbury in the county of Oxford. 1

Henry de Hambury (fl. 1330), was an early English judge, the a son of Geoffrey de Hambury of Hambury or Hanbury in Worcestershire. 2 He was being briefly Lord Chief Justice of Ireland.

Early Origins of the Hambrook family

The surname Hambrook was first found in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, where evidence suggests they held a family seat before the Norman Conquest. Hambrook is a village and hamlet in the parish of Winterbourne, South Gloucestershire. Whereras, Handbrough is a parish, in the union of Witney, hundred of Wootton in the county of Oxford. Both villages have remained small through the ages. Hambrook had about 600 inhabitants and Handbrough (Hanborough) had about 1,000 inhabitants as of a census in the late 1800s. The latter villages dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Haneberge 3 and literally meant "hill of a man called Hagena or Hana" derived from the Old English personal name + beorg. Hambrook also dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Hanbroc. 3 In this case, the village literally meant "brook by the stone" from the Old English han + broc. 4

Early History of the Hambrook family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hambrook research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273 and 1330 are included under the topic Early Hambrook History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hambrook Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Hambrook include Hambro, Hambrow, Hambury, Hamborough, Hamboro and others.

Early Notables of the Hambrook family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hambrook Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hambrook family to Ireland

Some of the Hambrook 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 Hambrook family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Hambrook were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Daniel Hanbury who sailed to Massachusetts in 1635; Peter Hanbury to Virginia in 1639; Peter Hambro, to Philadelphia, Pa. in 1750; Benjamin Hambury to Virginia in 1774.


Contemporary Notables of the name Hambrook (post 1700) +

  • Sharon Hambrook (1963-1996), Canadian gold and two-time silver medalist competitive synchronized swimmer, inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 1996


The Hambrook 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: Honestum utili praefero
Motto Translation: I prefer honesty to profit.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)


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