This unusual and interesting name has two possible sources. The first is as a variant of the surname "Amery", which is also found as "Ember(r)y", "Imbrey" and "Embry" among many others. The name comes from a Saxon (Germanic) personal name composed of the elements "amal", bravery, vigour and "ric", power and was introduced into England by the Normans as "Amalric", "Emaurri", "Ymen", etc. The second source is locational and comes from either "Emborough" in Somerset, recorded in 1238 as "Emnebergh" and meaning "Emeles hill or mountain" or from Imber in either Surrey (where it means "Imma's homestead" or Wiltshire, where it means "Imma's lake". Although recorded in London particularly. One James Emby married Lucy Preston at St. James the Apostle, Dover, Kent in 1819. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Embey, christened which was dated 20th August 1609, St. Mary, Whitechapel, London. during the reign of King James I of England and VI of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. 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.

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