Ubee

This interesting surname is locational and a well recorded example of the effect of the Agricultural Enclosure Acts, carried out between the 15th and 18th Centuries. The name derives from the ancient Viking pre 10th Century village of "Huby", located in West Yorkshire in the fertile area between Leeds and Harrogate. The village is first recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Hobi" and in the 1181 Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire as "Hoby". In 1285 this spelling changed to "Hugby", the modern form being 15th Century. "Huby" was enclosed circa 1550, and the majority of the inhabitants dispossessed. Shortly afterwards the name is recorded in London, one Nicholas Huby marrying Mary Morrice at St. James' Church, Clerkenwell, on February 2nd 1597. Thereafter, given the Londoner's ability to dispense with formality, the "H" was often dropped; Wineth Eubye married Anthony Preston at St. Lawrence Jewry on February 8th 1621, whilst Edward Uby married Ann Westrupp at St. James', Duke's Place, on April 1st 1668, and later on December 27th 1758, Charles Ubee married Mary Fox at St. Pancras, Old Church, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robertus Huby (a draper), which was dated 1379, in the "Poll Tax Rolls of Shadwell", Leeds, during the reign of King Richard 11, known as "Richard of Bordeaux", 1377 - 1399. 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.