Stonbridge

Recorded in the spellings of Stanbridge, Stambridge, Stembridge, Stenbridge, Stonebridge and Stonbridge, this is an English locational surname. It is of Olde English pre 7th Century origins and describes a person who lived by a stone causeway, as is found in any of the villages called Stembridge in Somerset, Stanbridge in Bedfordshire, Stambridge in Essex, Stonebridge in Middlesex, and many others. The development is from the words 'stan brug', or stone causeway, the meaning as 'bridge' being medieval. Locational surnames are usually 'from' names. That is to say that they were given to people after they left their original homes and moved elsewhere. It being the easiest form of identification to name a 'stranger' by the place from whence he or sometimes she, came from. Spelling being at best problematical, and local dialects very 'thick', often lead to the development of variant spellings. Early examples of the recording of this name include: Walter Stenbrigge and Stephen Stenbrugge, in the rolls of the the county of Somerset, in the year 1330. Amongst the surviving church register recordings are those of Edward Stambridge, a witness at Christ Church, Greyfriars, London, on January 24th 1574, Ellen Stonebridge at St Botolphs Bishopgate, on October 21st 1570, Ann Stanbridge, married at St George's Chapel, Hanover Square, London, on July 1st 1760, and Mathew Stembridge, who married Elizabeth Sloodley at St Albans church, Wood Street, city of London, on March 10th 1806. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Stanbrugge. This was dated 1328, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Somerset, and during the reign of King Edward 111 of England.