Show ContentsSibetorp History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Sibetorp reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Sibetorp family lived in Nottinghamshire. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old Norse words sib, meaning victory, and thorp, meaning outlying farm or hamlet. 1

Early Origins of the Sibetorp family

The surname Sibetorp was first found in Nottinghamshire at Sibthorpe, a parish in the union of Bingham. "In the reign of Edward II., Thomas de Sibthorpe founded a chantry in the church, and subsequently erected it into a college for a warden, nine chaplains, three clerks, and four choristers; he also added four chapels, in honour of St. Anne, St. Katharine, St. Margaret, and St. Mary." 2

The family is conjecturally descended from a Norman noble, Fredegis, who held the lands of Sibetorp (Sibthorpe) from Count Alan. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Survey in 1086 Sibetorp consisted of a church and one and a quarter mills. In the graveyard of the church there were twenty Irish yew trees, which have gained fame throughout the years. "A Robert and William de Sibetorp occur in the Domesday [Book] of that county, and the name is found in connection with Sibthorpe down to the 14th century. " 3

The family quickly spread throughout ancient Britain as seen by Robert de Sibthorpe, who was rector of the church of St. Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire in 1374. 4

Early History of the Sibetorp family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sibetorp research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1395, 1607, 1618, 1631, 1632, 1662, 1669, 1713, 1715, 1718, 1747, 1758, 1784, 1796, 1797 and 1896 are included under the topic Early Sibetorp History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sibetorp Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Sibetorp include Sibetorp, Sibthorp, Sibthorpe, Sibethorp and many more.

Early Notables of the Sibetorp family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Christopher Sibthorp (d. 1632), English pamphleteer who made third justice of the King's bench in Ireland on 11 May 1607, and was knighted on 3 May 1618; Robert Sibthorpe or Sibthorp (died 1662), an English clergyman, known for his outspoken defense of the divine right of kings during the reign of...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sibetorp Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Sibetorp family to Ireland

Some of the Sibetorp family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sibetorp family

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Sibetorps to arrive on North American shores: Christopher Sibthorpe and his wife Barbara, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1686; Ann Sibthorpe, who landed in America in 1771; and William Sibthorpe, who landed in America in 1756..



The Sibetorp 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: Nil conscire sibi
Motto Translation: To have a conscience free from guilt.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. 'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].


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