Surname : Roberts
Definition: 1) Derived from the Welsh given name Robert, meaning "bright fame." From the Germanic elements "hrod" meaning fame and "beraht" meaning bright. 2) Son of Robert.
Surname Origin: Welsh, German
Alternate Surname Spellings: ROBERT, ROBARTS, ROBINS, ROBART, ROPARTZ, ROBBERTS, ROPERT, RUPPERT
Recorded in over seventy spellings forms including Robert, Robart, Robb, and Rupert, which is from the same root, to Luparti of Italy, Rubke and Ruppertz of Germany, Rops and Rubbens of Flanders, Roberts and Robertson of England and Scotland, this is a surname of pre 7th century Germanic origins. It derives from the male given name "Hrodbeorht", a compound consisting of the elements "hrod", meaning renown, and "beorht", bright or famous. This type of (originally) baptismal name, was very popular throughout Europe for many centuries, and has remained so today. Like the name Ro(d)ger with which it shares a similar ancestry, it was 'adopted' by the Norsemen as they swept through Northern Europe on their march of conquest which took them to Normandy (the home of the North men), in the 10th century. The final joining of the circle was to introduce the name into Britain after The Conquest of 1066. As Rodbertus, Rotbert and Robert, the name is recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086. It was adopted as a surname in Europe in the latter half of the 13th Century, and early recordings include: John Roberd, in the Hundred Rolls of Berkshire, dated 1279, Counrad Ruprecht of Eblingen, Germany, in 1282, and William Robert, in the Fines Court Rolls of the county of Essex, England, in 1292. Other recordings of the medieval period include Richard Roberdes, which was dated 1327, in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, England, Neyneke Robeken of Hannover, Germany, in 1359, and Eberlin Rubbart, of Stuttgart, Bavaria, in 1445. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Surname: Sawyer
Despite its apparently humble origins as a derivative of the Olde English pre 7th century "sagu", and the medieval "saghe", and meaning literally one who saws wood, the "sawyers" have often played a prominent part in British history. The earliest recordings are spread around England and show the necessity of the process of preparing "sawn timber", indeed without "sawyers" medieval life would have been impossible. These recordings include Humphrey le Sayhare, in the 1270 Somerset Rolls, Philip le Sagher in the Wakefield (Yorkshire) Rolls for 1324, and John le Saghiere in the Sussex Rolls of 1327, the latter spelling showing the French influence. In 1604 a Coat of Arms was granted to John Sawyer of Kettering , Northamptonshire, the arms being a Lozengy of gold and blue, on a red pale, three escallops - the sign of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. One of the most famous Lawyers of the 17th Century was Sir Robert Sawyer, Attorney General in 1682, whilst one of the earliest settlers in Virginia, America was William Sawyer of James City, recorded on February 16th, 1623. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Nicholas de Sagyere, which was dated 1248, in the "Records of the Abbey of Bec", Berkshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Surname: Albury
This ancient name recorded as Albury, Albery and Albro, is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from any one of the places called Albury in Hertfordshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey. These places are all recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as "Eldeberie", "Aldeberie" and "Ealdeburi" respectively, and all share the same meaning and derivation, which is "the old town, fortified place", from the Olde English pre 7th Century "eald", old, with "burg, burh", fort, town, often referring to a Roman or other pre-English fort. Locational surnames were acquired by local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially by those former inhabitants of a place who had moved to another area, usually in search of work, and were thereafter best identified by the name of their birthplace. Recordings of the name from Surrey Church Registers include the christening of Jyllian Alburye at East Clandon, on October 21st 1562, and the marriage of William Albury and Joan Evans on September 21st 1606, at Kingston upon Thames. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Stephen de Aldebury, which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling
