This unusual and interesting name is of Irish origin. It was topographical for people who lived by a well and probably charged others to use it. Another suggestion is that the well was a holy one, in which case they would definately have charged for its use! The modern spelling are developments over the past six centuries from the original Gaelic O' Tiobraide, and this does translate as the male descendant of the keeper of the well from "tiobraid", meaning well. It also has or had a variant spelling in "tubrit", which is found in common usage in County Clare, along with the surname, in all its various forms, though rarely elsewhere in Ireland. In the 16th Century, the modern spellings of Tubridd, Tubritt, Tubbred, and Tibrud are in clearer evidence. In the book of Lecan, as well as the book of Ballymote the name appears as Ua Tibraide, and O' Tipraite adding somewhat to the confusion. A recording example is that of Mary Tubridy, born to Patrick Tubridy and his wife Mary on November 15th 1864 in Tulla District, County Clare. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Fiachra O' Tybryth. This was dated 1311 in the Justiciary Rolls of County Carlow, during the reign of King Edward IInd of England, and known to history as "Edward of Caernafon", 1307 - 1327. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes 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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