JC Halbrooks 1940-1999

B. HOLBROOK LOCATIONS IN ENGLAND.

B-1. DORSET.

Holbrook is found as a name in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, near Sornersetshire in a land charter dated 968. Near this location s Wincanton, Somerset where a "Holbrook House" is located This house was built in the 1300's by Sir John Husee has been rebuilt and enlarged over the years, and now operates as Holbrook House Hotel. This is the only Holbrook location in this area.

Literature from the Holbrook House states that, "This Holbrook is not the family name but derived from the old English HOLBROC meaning a stream in a hollow."

B-2. SOMERSET.

Holbrook is named in both North and South Petherton.

In South Petherton Hundred 'The statement about the lack of a house has been persistently denied by local tradition, which asserts that a house called "Holbrook Place" or Higher House was the parsonage house. The name of Thomas Holbrook occurs among the free tenants of the main manor in 1305, and the family continued as such at least until 1388.'
In North Petherton "In 1298 Henry of Somerset held Chadmead and Holbrook"

Neither Holbrook location has been better identified.

B-3. DERBYSHIRE.

A location named Holbrook is located about 4 miles north of Derby which is listed in the 1088 Domesday Book. The source of this name has not been found. It is on a ridge between two small rivers.

Occurrences of the name in Derby have been frequently found. The great variation of spellings is seen in the following references to this place.

YEAR SPELLING DOCUMENT
1086  Holebrok      Domesday book
1232  Holbroc        Register of Antiquities
1245  Holbroke      Cal of Close Rolls
1251  Hoibroke      Cal. of Charter Rolls
1269  Holbroke      owner Robt. de Ferrers
1272  Holebrok      Cal of Inquisitions
1298  Holebrok      Cal. of Inq Post Mortem
1306  Holbrocke    Assize Rolls
1360  Holbrok        Cal. of Patent Rolls
1577  Holebroke    Domestic State Papers

1585  Holbrock      Muster Book of Trained men in Anticipation of Spanish Armada.

From 'A History of Derbyshire:

"The variety of spelling names in early days was caused through lack of written records, lack of education and also the use of [speech] dialect. People who had to write the names did so according to their own interpretation of the spoken word. Even today people, especialy the elderly, say Howbruck' in the vernacular The modern spelling is Holbrook."

B-4. CHESHIRE.

A stream named Holbrook. is Located in Frodsham, Cheshire. The earliest found reference to it is found in 1249. Several parishes in the area contain Holbrook people from the 1500s. as well as in Warrington across the Mersey River to the north. Nothing has been found to indicate this stream contributed to a person's name in the area. The stream starts on a knoll, going down the side of a hill, runs through a cleft in some exposed rock Further downstream it enters the Weaver River from the west, about 5/8 mile from where the Weaver enters the Mersey River from the south The total length is about 2.5 miles. The water path through the rock cleft may be the source of the Holbrook name.