Kettleborough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins and Etymology of Kettleborough

The surname Kettleborough was first found in Lincolnshire at Kettleby, a hamlet, in the parish of Bigby, union of Caistor, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough. 1 2 3

Kettleby Thorpe is also a hamlet, in the parish of Bigby, union of Caistor, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough a little farther from Glandford-Brigg. "Here is a desecrated burial-ground, where fragments of Roman pavement have been found." 1

Both hamlets back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were collectively known as Chetelbi. 4 By 1236, they were known as Abeketleby and literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Ketil," from the Viking personal name + "by." 5

The first record of the family was John de Ketelbi who held estates here in c.1200-1210. But from this first entry for the family, it seems that for a few centuries, there were no entries found as we must move to 1513 to find John Ketylby in the Feet of Fines for Essex at that time. 2

Worcestershire became as stronghold of the family as the Register of the University of Oxford listed John Kettlebie (1589) and Thomas Ketilby (1604.) 6

The famed English composer, conductor and pianist Albert William Ketèlbey (1875-1959) best known for his short pieces of light orchestral music was born in Aston, Birmingham as Albert William Ketelbey. He added the accented "e" to help people pronounce his name better.

Early History of the Kettleborough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kettleborough research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1041, 1191, 1241, 1396, 1510, 1513, 1543, 1600, 1652, 1688, 1693, 1704 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Kettleborough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kettleborough Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Kettleborough has appeared include Ketelby, Kettelby, Ketelbey, Kettleby, Kettlby and others.

Early Notables of the Kettleborough family

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

Migration of the Kettleborough family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Kettleborough arrived in North America very early: James Kettleby, who came to America in 1767; as well as Maria Kettleby, who arrived in Ontario in 1871.

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. 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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)