Bambery

This interesting name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational surname deriving from the place called 'Bamborough' in Northumberland. The place is recorded very early on, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles for 547 as 'Bebbanburh', and is mentioned in the form 'Bebbanburg' by the Venerable Bede in 890, according to whom, it was called after a certain queen 'Bebbe', queen of Aethelfrith (593-617), with the Old English pre 7th Century 'burh, burg', fort. The early recordings of the surname are found mainly in Northumberland, and in London, where the surname development includes: Bamberie (1630), Bambury (1669) and Baumbrough (1695). The modern surname can be found as Bambrough, Bamburgh, Bambery and Bambury. One Joan Bambery was christened at Harrow-on-the-Hill, London, on April 20th 1589. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William de Bamburgh, which was dated 1260, The Book of Fees, Northumberland, during the reign of King Henry 111, 'The Frenchman', 1216-1272. 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.