The origins of the Horsbrowe name Horsbrowe are rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The surname comes from when they lived in the settlement of Horsburgh in Innerleithen, in the county of Peebles, Scotland. As such, the Horsbrowe surname belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Horsbrowe was first found in Peeblesshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, and the first on record was Symon de Horsbroc, who witnessed a charter during the reign of Alexander II of Scotland (1214-49). It is thought that they came originally from the north bank of the Tweed in Northumberland, where an Anglo-Saxon known by Horse or Orse is said to have built a "burg."
"The first of the race is believed to have been an Anglo-Saxon, designated Horse, or Orse, who, settling on lands on the north bank of the Tweed, there reared the castle or burg which communicated the present surname to his descendants." [1]
"William de Horsebroch, 'clericus decani et capellani Ecclesie de Glasguensis,' is in record in 1283. William de Horsbroch, likely the same person, was a notary public in 1287. Simon de Horsbrok, who entered the foreign service of Edward I of England in 1297, had his lands restored to him in that year. He is mentioned again in the years 1302 and 1304 as holding his lands of the same king." [1]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horsbrowe research. Another 207 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1330, 1329, 1404, 1440, 1479, 1550, 1640, 1686, 1620, 1597 and 1479 are included under the topic Early Horsbrowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Horsbrowe have been found, including Horsburgh, Horsbrough, Horseburgh, Horsbrook and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Horsbrowe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Horsbrowe, or a variant listed above: John Horsburgh, who arrived in Jamaica in 1725; a John Horsbrough, who was on record in Philadelphia in 1796; William Horsburgh, who settled in Carolina in 1761.