Haliburton

Recorded in many spelling forms including Alleburton, Alliberton, Halberton, Holburton, Haliburton, Halliburton, and the rare Hallyburton, this is an English surname. It is of pre 7th century origins, and is a locational name from the village of Halberton in Devonshire. This is recorded as "Halsbretone" in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 and as "Hauberton" in the 1188 Pipe Rolls of the county. The placename derives from the elements "haesel", meaning hazel, "bearu", the grove, and "tun", a village or homestead; hence "homestead by a hazel grove". During the Middle Ages when migration for the purpose of job-seeking was becoming more common, people often took their former village name as a means of identification, thus resulting in a wide dispersal of the name. Early recordings of the surname from London church registers include: the marriage of George Halliburton and Elizabeth Rosse on September 10th 1631 at St. Bride's, Fleet Street; and the marriage of James Alleburton and Hanah Bayler on September 22nd 1651 at St. Margaret Pattens. The first recorded spelling of the family name in the church registers is believed to be that of Thomas Holberton. This was dated May 21st 1599, when he married Thomasina Fox, at Ugborough, Devonshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st of England, 1558 - 1603. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.