Twinbrow

Recorded in a number of forms including: Twinborne, Twinbourne, Twinbury, Twinborough, Twinbrow and Twinberrow, this is an English locational surname. Judging by the known surname development, the place name and hence the surname, means either "the place by the two forts," from the pre 7th century Olde English words "twyn burgh," or possibly "the place by the twin streams" from "twyn burna". As to where this place was, is open to conjecture. The surname is apparently first recorded in the town of Richmond in Surrey early in the 17th century, where in the space of four years it appears in several spelling forms, principally as Twinborough and Twinbourne. It is known that as many as five thousand British Isles surnames originate from now "lost" medieval places, of which the only public record of its former existence is often the surviving surname(s). In addition locational surnames usually came from another area. Elizabethan local accents being very thick, and spelling at best in this period, erratic, would explain the variety of spellings in the Surrey records. These early recordings commence with James Twinbourne, the son of John, who is variously recorded as Twinborough and Twinbourne, christened at Richmond on January 12th 1612, and Zuzan Twinborough the daughter of John Twinborough (Twinbourne), christened at the same place on October 19th 1615. Other later recordings include: Thomas Twinberrow, a witness At St Benets church, Pauls Wharf, in the city of London, on April 16th 1710, and William Twinbury, who married Margaret Cox at St Mary's, Richmond, on April 28th 1788.