This is one of the Scottish variant spellings of the Olde Saxon pre 7th Century personal name "Amalric" translating as "work-rule". The name is first recorded in Scotland in c.1329 when one "Emeric", a Lombardian, was robbed by John Crabbe of Berwick. Despite this unfortunate beginning, the name holders prospered in Scotland, Walter Ymerey and Thomas Ymery being recorded as the Landholders of Condland in 1513 and earlier, Ade Emry was a Burgess of Dunblane. The intrusive "b" was probably added to aid dialectual pronunciation and was first recorded as below. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Imbrie. which was dated 1611, A Freeman Burgess of Glasgow. during the reign of King James VI of Scotland, 1567 - 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.