NAME HISTORY

The Berube family name is rare in France. For a long time, we have asked ourselves what this name truly signified in French. Furthermore, it is mentioned only in the northern region of France, that is, in the surrounding areas of Rouen and in the Pays des Caux (Country of Caux). On the other hand, it is written in different manners, from Berube to Berrubey and even Derube. (1)(2)(3)

Numerous hypothesis

Hypothesis:
– the result of a mutation of the word "berbe" a bearded man in old times,
– the result of a mutation of "Burbe" an ancient Saxon name,
– a rare variant of the French name "Bérou" (Béroul, Béroud, Béroux) coming from the Gallo-Roman "berr" (ram) or from an ancient Germanic personal name composed of two elements: bear and "wulf" (wolf),
– the result of a mutation from "Derubaix"; also a family name, in Belgium, that comes from the city of Roubaix?
– the result of a mutation of the word "Berrobi" a village of the Basque province of Guipuscoa in Spain?
– a mutation of the Jewish name Barabas,
– a normand deformation of Barabé or Barrabé,
–  a mutation of "Belru " (Berru) signifying nice brook to which was added "bel" later reduced to "be"),
– a family who originally lived at the town of Paresse or Parez, in the Lorraine, France (www.houseofnames.com),
– a locational name meaning "the dweller on the marshy land, from residence nearby" (www.4crests.com) Different hypothesis have been formulated over the years to explain the origin of the name Berube. In his book on family names of Quebec, Roland Jacob refutes the known hypothesises and even presents the name Berube as a “difficult case”.(4)

The pages and the texts below present the latest research concerning the name BERUBE. In brief, in the Middle Age, there are several traces of persons having this patronym in England, which dates back before the apparition of the name in Normandy. Further, it is now established that the patronym has a Scandinavian origin and that the Berube(s) are carriers of a genetic mutation characteristic of Saxons from the north of Germany. Finally, the fact that the blood groups AB and B are more frequently found in the Berube(s) shows that ancestors, from over a thousand years ago, lived in a region also inhabited by Slavic people. All of this information gives indications of the migration of ancestors during the Viking era and confers to the Berube(s) a distinct place within the families of French-Canadian origin

Basic elements

It is known that names have often a topographic origin before being attached to a person and that the written form follows the evolution of languages. Furthermore, the migration of certain ethnic groups explains the presence of certain patronymic in a country.

History of Normandy:
– In 831 begins the invasions of the Vikings.
– In 845, Ragnar Lodbrog attacks Paris.
– In 911, Rolf (Rollon, Rollo in latin, Rou, Robert at his baptism), of Norwegian origin but accompanied by Danes, obtains by treaty the City of Rouen and Normandy.
– In 1013, defeated by the Vikings, English King Æthelred escapes to Normandy.
– In 1021, Thorkell the Great, Jarl or duke of East Anglia, takes refuge in Normandy with his men.
– In 1066, William the Conqueror, descendant of Rollon, invades England.
– From 1066 to 1204, England and Normandy are part of the same Kingdom.
– In 1204, France conquers Normandy.
– In 1429, England controls all of northen France.
– In 1449 and 1450, France chases the English from Normandy and from northen France.
– In 1458, Calais was conquered by the Duke of Guise
– In 1559, Britain abandoned Calais demanding financial compensation.
– Peace was signed in 1475.
Source : Michel Bérubé and Wikipedia Historians  have demonstrated that Normandy was inhabited by a Danish majority originally from Danelag (Danelaw), territory of England comprised of present Yorkshire and of East Midlands. In short, during at least 5 centuries, thousands of persons came from England to Normandy for military, commercial or religious purposes. The map of France in 1429, shown below, illustrates the French territories in the possession of England and it's Bourguignons allies.

Viking settlement in Normandy Source : The Vikings	The Danelaw) about 912 Source : Senchus	Places in England where lived the Berughby, Baroby, Beruby, Borrowby from 1100 to 1550	Harfleur Source : Jyroc	Map of France in 1429 Source : Fordham University	English place names of Scandinavian origin Source : The Vikings

New Lead: People retraced throughout England's history

Consequently our patronym, rare in France, of which the first known trace goes back to a marriage in 1542, is more frequent in England, in the Middle Age, if we take into account the various forms of the names deriving from Bergaby (6). Let's mention some individuals: Ralph, son of Uctred de Borrowby (pronounced Ber-Hebey) who gave a few acres of land to the Abbey of Rielvaux, around 1186; Simon de Berughby, proprietor of a portion of a preserve in Northamptonshire (before 1240); William de Baroby, Lord of Laysencroft, in Yorkshire, about 1240; Richard son of Ranulf de Beruby who received a farm in Lincolnshire about 1242; the parish priest Robert Berewby of Yorkshire (1265); John de Beruby (also Berghby), lawyer in Daventre in 1280; Robert de Beruby, proprietor in Northamptonshire in 1301; John de Beruby, signatory of a petition of 1322, preserved in the National Archives of the United Kingdom; Adam de Beruby, another proprietor in Daventre in 1333; another Adam who was an inn keeper (Grantham 1348); Isabella de Berughby, leader of the priory of Arthington in 1349; Thomas de Beruby, vicar of Oxford (1373); William de Beroby or Baruby, notary in York (in the years of 1420); Robert Baroby, merchant in London (1527); Willaim Burreby de Morland, martyr of the Catholic Church of England in 1537.

It is possible that the Berube(s) ancestors only arrived in Normandy around 1420-1430, via Harfleur, an English colony during the Hundred Years' War, before they disperse in the Pays de Caux (Country of Caux), - the neighbouring region (7)(8)(9).

A NAME OF SCANDINAVIAN ORIGIN

Many names of places in England are Scandinavian in origin of which at least 700 ends with "by" as in Grimsby, Thornaby, Wetherby and Danby (12). The English names of the region of Danelag either Barrowby, Borrowby, Barraby, Barroughby and Berughby derives from BERGABY(R), a word of Scandinavian origin designating a place. "Berg" signifying a mountain a hill or a rock; "by(R)" a plot of land, a farm or a village (13). The "bu" Norse has become "by" in English then "bey" (be) in French.

In Yorkshire, the "g" of "berg" has progressively transformed itself into "h", the name pronouncing itself starting with "Ber-hebey". But, as well it could also be written Birigby, Borrowby or Burraby, the "I" the "o" and the "u" translating in each case to a sound approaching "eu" as in English names bird or word. (14)). Even today, the pronunciation of the same Berube varies according to the region of Quebec. For example, in Eastern Quebec, we often hear "The small daughters Burbey"or again "the Beurbey".

If the name Bergaby(r) was given to individuals because of their place of origin, it can only be after the Viking period because these latter did not use patronyms. Consequently, persons bearing these names probably did not have any link with Scandinavia, except to have lived on properties with Nordic names. Thus "Berg-a-by(R)" whose written form varied according to the scribes or clerks and, according to the pronunciation of the people from different regions in different eras, is surely of Berube and of Barabe origin (15).

It is possible to give the name Berube an Anglo-norman origin considering this spelling appeared at the time and under the influence of the Normans who did modify old names in England, like Bergaby, by their French pronounciation of them: "French speakers did alter the form of Old English names, but not so as to make them meaningful in French, only to make them pronounceable" (16). This made the research about the meaning of the name Berube even more difficult. It can be add that the spelling Berube/Beruby almost disappeared in England with the integration of the Norman minority to an Anglo-Saxon majority for which the name had to evolve with time toward other spellings, for instance Barrowby or Barby.

Bergaby(r) has the same sense as of the Saxon Burbe. Burbee or Burby may then exist who have no link with the descendants of Damien (17).

For more information, read the PDF document A short summary of our family history.

You can see references to people and places associated with our name since the Middle Ages in this PDF document.