Surname Hambye - Meaning and Origin
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Hambye: What does the surname Hambye mean?
The last name Hambye is a patronymic surname, indicating that it is derived from the given name of a person's father or sometimes grandfather. In this case, the name likely originated from the Old French given name Hamon, which is composed of elements meaning “home” and “protection”.
The surname first appears in records from Normandy, France in the 13th century and throughout its history it has been most common in Normandy, but can be found throughout France, as well as variations in England, Germany, and Spain.
Over time variations of the name developed. In England the spelling variations became the surnames Hameby and Hemyby. In Germany they became Hamdi and Hamby, and in Spain and Portugal Hameby, Hamby, and Ambee.
The last name is a relatively uncommon one, with a population of around 500 people in the U.S. alone. Many members of the Hambye family migrated to the New World sometime in the 18th century. Today, many of the descendants of this family now live in the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Order DNA origin analysisHambye: Where does the name Hambye come from?
The last name Hambye is most common today in Northern Europe, particularly France, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. The last name is also found in East Africa, primarily in the United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya, as well as other parts of East, West, and Southern Africa. It is less common in other continents, but is still found in smaller numbers in Australia, Canada, and the United States.
In France, the last name of Hambye is particularly common in the coastal areas of Brittany and Normandy. It is also seen in greater numbers in the major metropolitan areas, such as Paris. In Belgium, Hambye is found more often in the capital city of Brussels, as well as in the other major cities throughout the country.
In the United Republic of Tanzania, the last name Hambye may signify a possible Mixed British/Tanzanian heritage, although it is not exclusively so. The same is true of Kenya, where a multi-ethnic history ties into the last name Hambye. In Australia, there are some Hambyes stemming from the more recent European migrants, as well as those of Tanzanian or Kenyan heritage who have settled there in recent years.
Hambye also appears in other English-speaking countries, such as the United States and Canada, but it is much less common. In general, Hambye is a very old last name with a rich and varied history, mainly concentrated in Europe and Africa today.
Variations of the surname Hambye
The surname Hambye has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include: Hamby, Hambie, Hambey, Hambie, Hamblee, Hambly, Hamby, Hamebry, Hamby, Hameley, Hambley, Hamely, Hamer, Hamel, Hammele, Hamill, Hamme, Hammill, and Hammill.
Hambye is a surname of Anglo-Saxon origin; originating in the area of modern-day England. The name could have developed through several different paths. It may have been derived from the Old Danish personal name Hamban, meaning a “German” or “foreigner”. Alternatively, it could have been derived from the Olde English pre-7th century personal name “Hambe”, from “ham” meaning a “homestead” or “enclosure” and “beag” meaning a “ring”, and referring to a person who either lived on or near a circle of trees surrounding a settlement.
The spelling variations of the name have also been influenced by the changes in pronunciation over time, as well as the languages spoken in different countries. For instance, in Scotland, surnames ending in ‘-by’, would more usually be pronounced ‘-bee’, and be spelt as ‘Hammie’ or ‘Hamblee’, or in Ireland, the ‘-by’ spelling may be read as ‘-bee’ and spelt as ‘Hamby’.
The name Hambye is also the spelling used in some areas of France, where it may be a topographic name, referring to someone from the ‘ham’, or low-lying meadow. Similarly, the surname may also have developed from the Old French inheritance ‘home’, or ‘homme’ meaning a “man” or “husbandman”, indicating a cultivator of the soil, as found in the surname ‘Hamel’.
Therefore, there are many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Hambye.
Famous people with the name Hambye
- Steve Hambye, former Belgian basketball player
- Jaime Hambye, Spanish teenage actor
- Tessa Hambye, American Instagram model
- Chris Hambye, Canadian musician
- Mauro Hambye, American improvisor and comedy writer
- Rob Hambye, Dutch politician
- Anna Hambye, Swedish television producer
- Alan Hambye, French rugby union player
- Isabelle Hambye, Belgian snowboarder
- Violette Hambye, British fashion model