Willersbey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Willersbey family, who lived in Lincolnshire at Willoughby.

Early Origins of the Willersbey family

The surname Willersbey was first found in Lincolnshire where Sir William de Willoughby was Lord of Willoughby, a Norman knight who was granted the estates by William the Conqueror. Baron Willoughby de Eresby was a title created by writ in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby.

"Thorganby Hall [in Thorganby], formerly the seat of the Willoughbys, is an ancient and handsome stone mansion, situated in well-wooded grounds commanding fine prospects." 1

Matson in Gloucestershire played an important place in England's history. "This place, during the siege of Gloucester, became the head-quarters of Charles I.; and the ancient manorhouse, erected by Sir Ambrose Willoughby, Knt., in the reign of Elizabeth, was on that occasion occupied by the king's sons, Charles and James." 1

Further to the south in Cornwall, an early branch of the family was found in Dorset. "The Willoughbys of Dorsetshire had formerly a seat on the barton of Carvynick or Car-vin-ike [in the parish of St. Endover]. From this family it was carried by a co-heiress to a branch of the Arundells of Lanherne. On failure of male issue in this branch, it was carried in marriage by the heiress of Zach. Arundell, to Anthony Tanner, gent. descended from the Tanners of Court and Bodenick, in St. Stephens Brannell." 2

Early History of the Willersbey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Willersbey research. Another 329 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1399, 1400, 1401, 1402, 1404, 1406, 1409, 1452, 1471, 1472, 1492, 1497, 1502, 1515, 1521, 1528, 1537, 1554, 1570, 1584, 1603, 1617, 1635, 1638, 1640, 1664, 1666, 1667, 1669, 1670, 1672, 1674 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Willersbey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Willersbey Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Willersbey were recorded, including Willoughby, Willowby and others.

Early Notables of the Willersbey family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (c.1370-1409), an English Baron, joined Bolingbroke, the future King Henry IV, soon after his landing at Ravenspur, he was present at the abdication of Richard II in the Tower in 1399, and was one of the peers who consented to King Richard's imprisonment, taken part in Henry IV's expedition to Scotland (1400), admitted to the Order of the Garter (1401), among those appointed to negotiate with the Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndair (1402), he remained loyal to the King, was appointed to the King's council, among the...
Another 183 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Willersbey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Willersbey family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Willersbey arrived in North America very early: Francis Willoughby, from Portsmouth who became Deputy Governor of Massachusetts in 1678; Lady Ann Willoughby arrived in Barbados in 1679 with her servants.

The Willersbey 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: Verite sans peur
Motto Translation: Truth without fear.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print