Surname Filby - Meaning and Origin
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Filby: What does the surname Filby mean?
The surname Filby is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English pre 7th century personal name "Filba". This name is composed of elements "fil", which could mean "very" or "exceedingly", and "beah/beg", terms that could mean "ring", "crown" or "bracelet". The "-by" at the end suggests a Scandinavian influence, as it suggests a location or homestead. Thus the name could mean "Filba's homestead" or loosely translate to "very precious dwelling". Like many surnames, it was likely used to identify individuals from a particular location. The surname was first recorded in the late 14th century. The village of Filby in Norfolk also shares this surname. The spelling variations of this name include Filbey, Filbee, Philby, and others. Notably, the surname Filby is often associated with Quakers in historical records. The distribution of the Filby surname is highest in the UK, followed by Australia and the United States. It is worth noting that surnames can undergo significant changes in spelling and meaning over centuries and across regions.
Order DNA origin analysisFilby: Where does the name Filby come from?
The surname Filby is of Anglo-Saxon origin, specifically from a place called Filby in Norfolk, England. Its meaning traces back to an Old Norse personal name, 'Felagi' (partner or shareholder), combined with 'byr', which means a farm or a village in Old Norse. It was typically adopted by those who resided in Filby.
Despite its English origin, the Filby surname is not very common in England today. As people migrated, they took their local names with them and the name Filby spread. Thus, the last name Filby is more prevalent in the United States recently. Records also show it can be found in Canada and Australia, among descendants of British immigrants.
There is an international association, the Filby Association, dedicated to those interested in the surname Filby, or its variant spellings (Filbey, Filbee, Philby etc.). It provides a wide range of information about the surname and helps people around the world researching this name connect with each other.
Variations of the surname Filby
The surname Filby may have multiple variants and related surnames due to phonetic spellings, regional accents, and historical records. Some of these include Philby, Filbie, Philbie, Fillby, Phylby, and Filbee. The surname is believed to be of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from any of several places in England called Filby or Philby. The name itself might mean "Fygla's settlement" in Old Norse, suggesting Viking influences in areas where this surname originated.
Historical records also show Fylby, Fylbie or even Fielby as variations of the surname. There may be a connection to the surname Philp which is of similar pronunciation in certain accents. However, it's essential to note that several factors could affect the spelling of surnames over centuries, such as literacy levels, historical document transcriptions, migration, and translation into other languages. Therefore this is not an exhaustive list of all possible variants of the surname Filby, but it gives an idea of its possible forms and derivations.
Famous people with the name Filby
- William Filby: a leading 20th-century figure in the study of English genealogy, and the biographer of Queen Victoria.
- Thomas Filby: a military officer and the first settler of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
- Clyde R. Filby: an American politician and the 4th Mayor of Witchita, Kansas.
- Alfred Filby: a British editor, journalist and author best known for the writing of travel books about Switzerland.
- Reginald Filby: an English and Luxembourgeoise cricketer who played for South Africa in the mid-twentieth century.
- Charles Filby: the founder of Filby's Commercial Law Series, one of the first compilations of English legal statutes and cases.
- Sir John Filby: a prominent English judge whose work was instrumental in the development of modern English contract law.
- Ernest Filby: a British composer and conductor who conducted the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Opera of London.
- John Filby: an English business owner and philanthropist who established the London College of Music.
- Jeffrey Filby: an American businessman who was the founder of William Paterson University.