NAME HISTORY

The Berube family name is rare in France. For a long time we have asked ourselves what this name really signified in French. We know, on the other hand, that it has been written in different manners, from Berrubay to Beruby, seeing Baruby and even Derube.(1)(2) In any event, it is only mentionned in the northen region of France, that is to say, in the surrounding area of Rouen and in the "Pays de Caux".(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 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)

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.
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.

New lead

Now, we have recently found in old english documents the following patronymic: Barowby in 1475, Barraby in 1595, Barroughby in 1603, Barube in 1483, and Beruby in 1242.(5) We also find in the Middle-Age, in England, the patronymic Bereghby, Berghby, Berowby, Berewby, Berughby, Borrowby, Bureby, De Berghby, De Beruby.

In the UK National Archives which are partially digitized, we find several persons bearing the name, for example John de Beruby who signed a petition in 1322 against a tax levied by the sheriff of York or Wiliam Beruby of Leeds, in Yorkshire, in 1419. The name of one Robert de Beruby also appears on a property assesment document in 1301, in Northampton. A Thomas de Beruby is a vicar in Oxford according to a 1362 document and another in 1373. We can also read the will of John Barube, bourgeois of Coventry, apparently dying of an "english fever" epidemic (Sudor Anglicus) in 1519.(6)(7) It is quite possible that persons bearing one of the above patronymic took part in the migration towards Normandy.

A NAME OF SCANDINAVIAN ORIGIN

Berugh corresponds to Barugh in Yorkshire (gh pronounced as an f) and derives from Berg, hills in the old Swedish or Danish language. The most common scandinavian suffix found in the Danelag is "by" as in Grimsby, Thornaby, Wetherby, and Danby.(8) The "bu" norse has become "by" in English then "bey" (be) in French. As an exemple, "Berg-a-by(R)": berg meaning a mountain, a hill or a rock; by(R): a parcel of land, a farm or a village.(9)

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 a sound approching "eu" as in English names bird or word.(10) So "Berg-a-by(R)" as the written forms are varied, without doubt because of the scribes or clerks and because of the pronounciation of persons from different regions in different periods, it is certain to be of Berube origin.

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.(11)

The Normands (Vikings, Norsemen, or "Nort(h)manni")

The Normands ability to adapt allowed them to occupy territories dispersed largely all over Europe to Asia Minor. It has equally expressed itself in their determination to hire local men of talent and to marry high ranking women of the region. Nevertheless, those of Normandy for a long time have kept, facing the French royal power, a strong sense of identity, a source of conflict between the kingdoms of France and England.(12)

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.