This interesting name with variant spellings Welbon, Welburn, Wellbourne etc., is of English locational origin from "Welbourn", in Lincolnshire, "Welborne" in Norfolk and "Welburn" in Yorkshire. The first of these was recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) as "Wellebrune", while the place in Norfolk was called "Walebruna", and the spot in Yorkshire was "Wellebrune", both in the Domesday Book. All these placename are so called from the old English pre 7th Century words "welle-burna" meaning "brook coming from a stream", (well)a), spring and "burna", stream). One Hugh de Welleburn was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1273. At Gunby near Grantham, in Lincolnshire a Robert Wilson married one Miss Wilburne on November 28th 1561. At Cadney in Lincolnshire, Ales, daughter of Guliellmi Welborne was christened on March 6th 1573, Alice, daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Welbourn was christened at Woolsthorpe near Granthan, Lincolnshire on April 27th 1727. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ailmer de Welleburnia, which was dated 1185, Records of the Templars in England in the 12th Century, (Lincolnshire), during the reign of King Henry 11, "the builder of churches", 1154 - 1189. 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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