Sudburay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Sudburay family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in one of the settlements called Sudbury in the counties of Derbyshire, Middlesex, and Suffolk. The surname Sudburay belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Sudburay family

The surname Sudburay was first found in Suffolk at Sudbury, a borough and market-town, and the head of a union, locally in the hundred of Babergh. "This place, originally called South Burgh, is of great antiquity, and at the period of the Norman survey was of considerable importance, having a market and a mint. A colony of the Flemings who were introduced into this country by Edward III. for the purpose of establishing the manufacture of woollen-cloth, settled here, and that branch of trade continued to flourish for some time. " 1

The Domesday Book survey in 1086 A.D. list Sudbury as being held by William the Chamberlain and Otto the Goldsmith from the King. The village consisted of a mill, a market, 2 horses, 24 pigs, and 120 sheep. It is the site of the ancient church of St. Gregory's founded by St. Felix in the 7th century. 2

One of the first records of the names was Hugh de Suthberia who was listed in the Pipe Rolls in 1159. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Robert de Sudbyr in Norfolk; and Ralph de Sudebyre in Essex. 4

Simon of Sudbury (died 1381), was "Archbishop of Canterbury, son of Nigel Theobald and his wife Sarah, people of respectable position, born at Sudbury in Suffolk in the parish of St. Gregory. " 5

William Sudbury (fl. 1382), was an early English theologian, a Benedictine monk of Westminster, and graduated as doctor of divinity at Oxford, where he was an opponent in theology in 1382. 5

Early History of the Sudburay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sudburay research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1375, 1379, 1381 and 1431 are included under the topic Early Sudburay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sudburay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Sudburay include Sudbury, Sudbery, SudBerry, Sudberey and others.

Early Notables of the Sudburay family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sudburay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sudburay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Sudburay or a variant listed above: Robert Sudbery who settled in Virginia in 1638.

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print