This interesting name, with variant spelling Aubrey, Aubray, Aubry, Aubery, Aubury and Obray, derives from three possible origins. Firstly, the name may come from the Middle English and Old French personal name "Aubri", itself deriving from the Germanic given name "Alberic", composed of the elements "alb", elf, and "ric", power. The surname could also have come from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Aelfric", made up of the elements "oelf", elf, and "ric", power. Finally, the surname may be derived from the Old Germanic female name "Albreda" or the Old French personal name "Albree", which was composed of the Germanic elements "alb", elf, and "red", counsel.
Both Alberic and Albreda were introduced into England by the Normans after the Invasion of 1066. One Osbertus filius (son of) Albrei was recorded in 1115 in "Liber Wintoniensis" (Hampshire), and one Robert Aubri was listed in 1308, in the Feet of Fines of Suffolk. An interesting namebearer, recorded in the "Dictionary of National Biography", was John Aubrey (1626 - 1697), who was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, and brought to light megalithic remains at Avebury in 1649. He was empowered by patent to make antiquarian surveys under the crown and formed large topographical collections in Wiltshire and Surrey. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Aubrey, which was dated 1279, in the "Hundred Rolls of Berkshire", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. 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.
Discovering the historical roots of aubray is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname aubray is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of aubray.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname aubray. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname aubray provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
The historical chronicle of aubray is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname aubray, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of aubray developed. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname aubray.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname aubray, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about aubray and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished aubrays throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname aubray were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. If you or someone you know bears the surname aubray, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname aubray who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of aubray. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of aubray are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of aubray.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of aubray, and at the same time, of surnames in general.