Irebey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Irebey family name begins after the Norman Conquest of 1066. 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 Irebey family

The surname Irebey 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 Irebey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Irebey 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 Irebey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Irebey 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 Irby, Irbey, Irbie, Irbye and others.

Early Notables of the Irebey 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...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Irebey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Irebey 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 Irebey or a variant listed above were: Walter Irby, who came to Virginia in 1652; William Irby, who was on record in Virginia in 1714; and Robert Irby, also on record in Virginia in 1715.

The Irebey 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)