Contents [hide]

Salisbury History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Salisbury History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Salisbury

What does the name Salisbury mean?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Salisbury family lived in Wiltshire, at Salisbury, from where their name is derived.

Early Origins of the Salisbury family

The surname Salisbury was first found in Wiltshire at Salisbury, a cathedral city that dates back to c. 900 when it was listed as Searobyrg. Over one hundred years later, the Domesday Book lists the place name as Sarisberie, much closer phonetically to today's name. The place name literally means "stronghold at Sorvio, " from the Old English words burgh + the Celtic name Sorviodunum. 1

Salisbury Cathedral is one of the most famous cathedrals in Britain; its spire can be seen for miles. Moreover, it is now home to pages from the Magna Carta which is on public display.

"Edward de Sarisberie, sometimes called Edward Vicecomes was a great tenant in chief in Wiltshire and other counties, at the making of the Domesday [Book]. He was a younger son of Walter de Evreux (Devereux) one of the few instances in those early times of a Norman family with a Saxon name. " 2

Early History of the Salisbury family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Salisbury research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1500, 1561, 1573, 1575, 1580, 1593, 1612, 1621, 1622, 1625, 1626, 1637, 1640, 1643, 1660, 1661, 1684 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Salisbury History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Salisbury Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Salisbury, Salesbury, Sallsbury, Salusbury and many more.

Early Notables of the Salisbury family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Henry Salisbury or Salebury 1561-1637?), Welsh grammarian, born in 1561 at Dolbelidr (now known as Ffynonfair) in the parish of Henllan, Denbighshire probably the youngest son of Foulke, third son of...
John Salisbury (1500?-1573), Welsh Bishop of Sodor and Man, member of the ancient family settled at Llewenny in Denbighshire, whose name was frequently spelt Salesbury or Salusbury
John Salisbury (1575-1625), Jesuit and Welsh scholar, described as a native of Merionethshire, presumably a member of the Rug branch of the Salisbury or Salesbury family

Salisbury Ranking

In the United States, the name Salisbury is the 2,549^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Salisbury family to Ireland

Some of the Salisbury family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Salisbury migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Salisbury or a variant listed above:

Salisbury Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Salisbury, who settled in Virginia in 1623
Roger Salisbury, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 4
Robert Salisbury, who arrived in Virginia in 1646 4
William Salisbury, who landed in Dorchester, Massachusetts in 1648 4
Robert Salisbury, who landed in Virginia in 1650 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Salisbury Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles Salisbury, aged 30, who arrived in Georgia in 1775 4
Charles Salisbury, who settled in Georgia in 1775

Salisbury migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Salisbury Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Leonard Daytator Salisbury, who landed in Canada in 1840

Salisbury migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Salisbury Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Alice Salisbury, (b. 1793), aged 39, English house maid who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Miss Salisbury, (b. 1831), aged 1, English settler travelling with convict Mrss Alice Salisbury, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 14th July 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Americus Salisbury, (b. 1816), aged 22, English sail maker who was convicted in Liverpool, Lancastershire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1877 in England, he returned prior to 1857 as he returned to Australia then on the "Contest" no list of when he returned the the UK 6
Miss Elizabeth Salisbury who was convicted in Leeds, Yorkshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. William Salisbury, English convict who was convicted in Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia 8

Salisbury migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Salisbury Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

T W Salisbury, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Norman Morrison" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand, Via Wellington and Lyttleton in 1854 9
James Salisbury, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Celestial Queen" in 1872
Sarah Salisbury, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Celestial Queen" in 1872
Fanny Salisbury, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Celestial Queen" in 1872
John Salisbury, aged 38, a shepherd, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Conflict" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Salisbury (post 1700) +

Rollin Daniel Salisbury (1858-1922), American geologist and educator
Richard Sean Salisbury (b. 1963), American football analyst, former NFL and CFL quarterback, and actor
Harrison Salisbury (1908-1993), American journalist
Benjamin David Salisbury (b. 1980), American actor
James John Salisbury M.D. (1823-1905), American physician, and the inventor of the Salisbury steak
Harry Salisbury (1855-1933), Major League Baseball pitcher for two seasons
Ambrose Salisbury, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Wayne County, 1832 10
Alonzo E. Salisbury (d. 1858), American politician, Member of Nebraska territorial House of Representatives, 1856. First burial in Prospect Hill Cemetery 10
Alicia Salisbury (b. 1940), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kansas, 2004, 2008; Member of Republican National Committee from Kansas, 2008 10
Albert Salisbury, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1932 (alternate), 1936 10
... (Another 24 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Salisbury family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Frank Salisbury, British Ordinary Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11
Mr. Frank Salisbury, British Ordinary Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11
Mr. William Percy Salisbury, British Joiner 2nd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 11

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fanny
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html