Rushbury

This unusual surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from a parish and village thus called, south west of Much Wenlock in Shropshire. Recorded as "Riseberie" in the Domesday Book of 1086, and as "Russhebur" in the 1283 Charter Rolls of that county, the component elements of the placename are the Olde English pre 7th Century "risc" or "rysc", rush, and "burgh", fortified place, fort. Very often the reference is to a Roman or other pre-English fort, though in many cases "burg" denotes a fortified manor. This Olde English element appears variously as "borough, burgh, berry" and "bury" in placenames where it occurs. Locational surnames, such as this, were originally given to local landowners, and the lord of the manor, and especially as a means of identification to those former inhabitants who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere. On December 14th 1567, George Rushbury, an infant, was christened in Stottesden and Farlow, Shropshire, and on April 9th 1719, Elizabeth Rushbury and Samuel Winnall were married in Lichfield Cathedral, Staffordshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Margerie Rushburie, which was dated February 17th 1565, christened at Stottesden and Farlow, Shropshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.