Stansby

This most interesting name, with variant spelling Stansbie, is of English locational origin from places called "Stainsby" in Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. The former place appeared as "Steinesbi" in the Domesday Book of 1086 while the latter was recorded as "Stafnebi" in the Pipe Rolls of 1196. In Derbyshire, the name derives from the Olde Norse personal name "Steinn", meaning "stone", and the Olde Norse element "byr", a farm, settlement, while the latter place is composed of the Olde Norse personal name "Stafn" meaning "Stem", plus "byr". The surname itself first appears in the late 16th Century (see below). One Guilielm Stansbye married Elizabeth Thomas on November 6th 1585 at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, London. Beniamyn Stansby, son of William Stansby, was christened on February 23rd, 1599 at the Church of St. Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, London, while one William Stansby was christened at Morley, Derbyshire, on May 18th, 1665. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard Stansbye, who married Joane Hollingworth which was dated January 22nd 1574, at Heanor, Derbyshire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.