Stanburrey History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of StanburreyWhat does the name Stanburrey mean? The illustrious surname Stanburrey finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Stanburrey is a local type of surname and the Stanburrey family lived at the manor of Stanbury in Morwinstowe, Cornwall. The name could have from an Old English woman's name for Stanburh 'stone-fortress' 1 or literally meant "the fort or defence of stone." 2 Early Origins of the Stanburrey familyThe surname Stanburrey was first found in Essex where the first record of the family was found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Stamburc was listed. 3 Later in Cornwall, they held a family seat from very ancient times, as Lords of the manor of Stanbury in Morwinstowe. "The manor of Stanbury (which formerly belonged to an ancient family of this name,) was the birth place of Richard Stanbury, who was Bishop of Hereford, and died so early as 1471. In the fifteenth century, it was carried in marriage by an heiress of this family to the Mannings." 4 Stanbury is common in Devon where it is probably from Stanborough. 5 The Lancashire Stanbury is from Stanbury, in the West Riding of Yorkshire." 1 "Both may have contributed, but looking at the directories it is clear that Devonshire holds the first place as parent." 6 A very rare name in early rolls; we did however find Alan Stanborw in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cheshire in 1279 1 and later, Thomas de Staynburghe in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 6 Early History of the Stanburrey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stanburrey research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1440, 1446, 1448, 1453, 1474, 1670, 1704, 1705, 1706, 1707, 1712, 1714, 1720, 1772 and 1778 are included under the topic Early Stanburrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Stanburrey Spelling VariationsCornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Stanbury, Stanberie, Standborough, Stanborough, Stanbrough, StanBerry, Stanburry, Stansbury, Stainsbury and many more. Early Notables of the Stanburrey familyNotable amongst the family at this time was John StanBerry (or Stanbury) (died 1474), English medieval Bishop of Bangor (1448-1453) and Bishop of Hereford (1453-1474.) He was second son of Walter Stanbury of Morwenstow, Cornwall, by his wife Cicely. He entered the Carmelite order, and was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, whence he graduated D.D. (Boase, Reg. Coll. Exon. pp. lxix, 367). He subsequently gained great reputation by his lectures at Oxford, and before 1440 he became confessor to Henry VI. In that year he was nominated first provost of Eton College, in the foundation of which he had advised Henry... Migration of the Stanburrey familyAn investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Stanburrey: Josiah Stanbury (also Stanborough) who settled in Lynn Massachusetts in 1630; Roger Stanbury arrived in Jamaica in 1661; W.A. Stanbrough arrived in San Francisco in 1850.
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