Irby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

When the ancestors of the Irby family emigrated to England following the Norman Conquest in 1066 they brought their family name with them. They lived in Lincolnshire, at Irby by the Marsh, or Irby, a township, in the parishes of Thurstaston and Woodchurch, union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Wirrall in Cheshire. "The manor was given to the convent of St. Werburgh in 1093, and continued in the possession of that establishment until the Dissolution, when it was granted to the Dean and Chapter of the new diocese of Chester." 1

Early Origins of the Irby family

The surname Irby was first found in Lincolnshire at Irby by the Marsh, a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district which dates back to c. 1115 when it was listed as Irebi. Irby upon Humber or Irby-on-Humber is a small village and civil parish in North East Lincolnshire. This parish dates back further to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Iribi. 2

Other locals include: Irby, a village on the Wirral Peninsula; Ireby, a village in Cumbria; and Ireby, a small hamlet and civil parish bordering on Lancashire and North Yorkshire. The place name is believed to literally mean "farmstead or village of the Irishmen," having derived from the Old Scandinavian name "Irar" + "by." 3

The first record of the family was found in Lincolnshire where Hugh, Ailsi de Yrebi was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1193 and later in the Pipe Rolls for Cumbria (Cumberland) in 1195. William de Irby was found in Yorkshire in 1280 and later, Richard Yrby was in Gloucestershire in 1341. 4

Edward Irby, (1676-1718) was Member of Parliament for Boston, and was created a Baronet, of Whaplode and Boston in the County of Lincoln, in the Baronetage of England on 13 April 1704. This peerage was elevated to Baron Boston, of Boston in the County of Lincoln in 1761 and continues today.

Early History of the Irby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irby research. Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1068, 1114, 1547, 1577, 1589, 1605, 1610, 1622, 1625, 1676, 1681, 1702, 1707, 1708 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Irby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irby Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Irby has been recorded under many different variations, including Irby, Irbey, Irbie, Irbye and others.

Early Notables of the Irby family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Anthony Irby (1547-1625), English Master of Chancery, Recorder and Member of Parliament for Boston between 1589 and 1622
Sir Anthony Irby (1577-1610), English Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire
Anthony Irby (c.1605-1681), English Member of Parliament for Boston

Irby Ranking

In the United States, the name Irby is the 2,612^nd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 5

Irby migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Irbys were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Irby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Walter Irby, who settled in Virginia in 1652

Irby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Irby, who landed in Virginia in 1714 6
Robert Irby, also on record in Virginia in 1715

Irby Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Julie M. Irby, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Ellen Irby, aged 40, who landed in America, in 1909
Robert F. Irby, aged 43, who landed in America, in 1909
Gilbert Neville Irby, aged 48, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1913
Pierce Irby, aged 31, who immigrated to America, in 1919
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Irby (post 1700) +

Michael Irby (b. 1972), American film and television actor, best known for portraying Sergeant First Class Charles Grey in The Unit
Kenneth Irby (b. 1936), American poet, winner of the 2010 Shelley Memorial Award
Lee Irby (b. 1963), American novelist and historian
Frederick Irby (1749-1825), 2nd Baron Boston, an English peer and courtier
John L M Irby (1854-1900), American politician, US Senator representing South Carolina, USA from 1891 to 1897
George William Eustace Boteler Irby (b. 1971), 11th Baron Boston of Boston in the County of Lincoln, English peer
Charles Leonard Irby (1789-1845), British officer in the Royal Navy who saw service during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, 6th son of Frederick Irby, 2nd Baron Boston
Leonard Howard Loyd Irby (1836-1905), British ornithologist and army officer, son of Rear-Admiral Frederick Paul Irby
Timothy George Frank Boteler Irby (1939-2007), 10th Baron Boston of Boston in the County of Lincoln, English peer
Gerald Howard Boteler Irby (1897-1978), 9th Baron Boston of Boston in the County of Lincoln, English peer
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Irby 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: Honor fidelitatis praemium
Motto Translation: Honor, the reward of fidelity.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)