SNSBI Launches Its New “Name Stories” Series with a Spotlight on a Remarkable Surname

 SNSBI Launches Its New “Name Stories” Series with a Spotlight on a Remarkable Surname

The Society for Name Studies in Britain and Ireland (SNSBI) has just launched an exciting new initiative - Name Stories - designed to uncover the linguistic, historical, and cultural roots behind some of the most distinctive surnames in Britain and Ireland. And what better way to begin than with the fascinating name Attenborough?

Written by Peter McClure, Honorary Professor (Name-Studies) at the University of Nottingham, the inaugural entry explores the origins, development, and enduring legacy of the surname famously borne by Sir David Attenborough, the renowned naturalist and broadcaster, and his brother, the late Lord Richard Attenborough, actor and director.

🏰 A Place, A Person, A Legacy

What makes Attenborough particularly noteworthy is that it is a monogenetic surname - a term used to describe surnames that likely trace back to a single ancestral line. In this case, that lineage leads us to a small village in Nottinghamshire, Attenborough, which is the only place in England with that name.

Although the village had a very small population during the period when surnames were forming (13th–14th centuries), there is no doubt that the surname derives from this location. The earliest reference to the place appears in the late 12th century as Adingburg, meaning the stronghold or manor (‘burh’) of a man named Adda.

By around 1200, the place-name began to be used as a surname. A particularly early bearer, John de Addingburgh, is recorded in 1352 as a baker in Nottingham. Over time, the name evolved phonetically, and it wasn’t until the 16th century that the modern pronunciation Attenborough became common.

🔎 More Than Just a Name

Beyond etymology, this first Name Story provides a compelling reminder of how language, geography, and identity intersect, showing how even a small, obscure village can leave a lasting mark through a surname known worldwide today.

Interested readers and name enthusiasts can dive deeper into the Attenborough surname by reading the full entry here.

Stay tuned for more Name Stories from SNSBI - each revealing the hidden narratives behind the names we know, carry, or encounter every day.