| ![Show Contents]() Silby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins of the Silby familyThe surname Silby was first found in North Yorkshire at Selby, a town and civil parish that dates back to the time of the Vikings as archaeological investigations in the area have revealed extensive remains, including waterlogged deposits in the core of the town dating from that time. One of the first records of the place name was in c. 1030 where it was listed as Seleby. A little more than 50 years later, it was listed as Salebi in the Domesday Book and literally meant "farmstead or village near sallow-trees" having derived from the Old English word "sele" + the Old Scandinavian word "by." 1 "A town in Yorkshire, and a township in Northumberland. Riddleston, in the latter county, was granted in 1272, by King Edward I., to Sir Walter de Selby, and it has ever since remained in the possession of his descendants." 2 "It was a common Yorkshire surname, especially as Seleby, in the reign of Edward I." 3 It is understood to be the traditional birthplace of King Henry I, fourth son of William the Conqueror, in 1068/69. It is best known for Selby Abbey, which it is claimed that when Benedict of Auxerre in 1069 saw three swans on a lake in Selby, he understood that to be a sign of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, hence the Arms of Selby Abbey has three swans. The township of Moat in Cumberland was the scene of many battles with the Scots of the north. "It more than once fell into the power of the Scots, and on one occasion was taken by David, King of Scotland, who caused the two sons of the governor, Sir Walter Selby, to be strangled." 4 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: William de Seleby; Johannes de Selby; and Willelmus de Selby. 5 The Shelby or Eshelby variants are interesting. The variants still hail from Yorkshire but unique entries for these families appear in early rolls: John de Eskelby in the Subsidy Rolls in 1327; Richard Exilby as a Freeman of York in 1490 and Thomas Eshelby as a Freeman of York in 1672. Some of these spellings have been lost through the centuries. "Both surnames might also derive from Asselby (East Riding of Yorkshire) which is found as Askelby 1282, Eskilby 1199 and Axilbye 1551." 6 Early History of the Silby familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Silby research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1618, 1667, 1744, 1788, 1804, 1806, 1812, 1823 and 1867 are included under the topic Early Silby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Silby Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Selby, Selbie, Shelby, Eshelby, Exelby, Axelby and others. Early Notables of the Silby familyDistinguished members of the family include John Prideaux Selby (1788-1867), English naturalist, born in Bondgate Street, Alnwick, on 23 July 1788. He was the eldest son of George Selby of Beal and Twizell, Northumberland. "The father was head of one branch of an old and influential family long prominent in the history of Northumberland and the borders. Five members of the family received the honour of knighthood at James I's hands. One of them, Sir George Selby, mayor of Newcastle, obtained the sobriquet of King's Host from the sumptuous manner in which he entertained the king on his progresses to and...
Another 155 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Silby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Silby migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Silby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Robert Silby, aged 19, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Assurance" 7
| Silby migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Silby Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Silas Silby, aged 34, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875
- Ellen Silby, aged 35, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875
- Eliza G. Silby, aged 5, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Blairgowrie" in 1875
- Miss Eva H. Silby, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Tainui" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in December 1890 8
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: Semper sapit suprema
Motto Translation: He is always wise about the highest matters.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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Silby migration to the United States 
Silby migration to New Zealand 
England
Scotland
