The Preston surname is of French origins, having been written as "dePreston." After the Norman conquest French families flooded into the country and became the Feudal lords appropriating much of the land.
At the time of the 1066 Norman Conquest of Britain Lancashire did not yet exist as a recognisable entity. Soon after the conquest, however, William the Conqueror doled out parcels of land as he had promised to those Norman barons who had supported him in the invasion. The lands between the River Ribble and the River Mersey, (which would eventually become the Salford Hundred), were granted to Roger de Poitou. Sometime around 1090, his son, William Rufus, added Lonsdale, Cartmel and Furness (now in Cumbria in the southern Lake District) to these estates, and the boundaries of what came to be known as the County of Lancashire were set down. Lancaster was chosen as the headquarters of the region and a castle built there from which to administer the lands that Poitou now oversaw.
For his part in an unfortunate and abortive rebellion In 1102 against King Henry I saw all of his estates confiscated by the crown and given to Stephen de Blois.
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations such as Prestone, Preston, Presson and others. Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded. The Preston surname is recorded by the Huguenot Historical Society as having roots in the Reformation Movement. The Preston name is found in Lincolnshire where they were granted estates after the Norman Conquest. We also know of 2 important families who were given lands near the town of Preston in Lancashire. Preston in Ireland is a Northern English Place name from the numerous locations, (including Lancashire) derived from Old English preost = Priest + tun = enclosure, Preston is a Northern English Place name from the numerous locations, including Lancashire) derived from Old English preost = Priest + tun = enclosure, used to described a village held by the church or village with a priest. They changed their names and became the "de Prestons" One of these families (from Anjou) stayed in Lancashire and the other (from Burgundy) moved to County Meath in Ireland in about 1250. Later spelling of Preston was probably adopted after the Norman Conquest. It's derived from an English surname which was originally derived from a place name meaning "priest town" (Old English preost and tun).
Name: HANNAH PRESTON
Birth: 1634
Place: New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut
Death: 21 Oct 1701
Place: Albemarle, Chowan, North Carolina
Father: WILLIAM PRESTON
Born: 23 Jan 1590
Place: New Haven, New Haven, Conn.
Mother: MARY SEABROOK
Born: 1601
Place: New Haven, New Haven, Conn.
Married: Feb 22, 1633/34 in Chesham, Buckingham, Eng, she was the daughter of Robert Seabrook and Alice Goodspeed. Born: 19 Aug 1576 - Wingrave, Buckinghamshire, England, Died: After 1600 - Wingrave, Buckinghamshire, England Her father was: Nicholas Goodspeed (Abt 1532-1606) Her mother: Margaret (1536-1608)
William and Elizabeth (Sale) Preston William PRESTON - bap. Jan. 28, 1590/1, Giggleswick, York, England; d. 1647, New Haven, New Haven Co., CT. Son of Adam PRESTON and Isabel BRAITHWAITE. Churchwarden at Chesham in 1617. Embarked for New England Sep. 19, 1635 in the ship True Love, with all of the living children except Edward and Daniel, who came to New England earlier in the year.
William signed the fundamental agreement on Jun. 4, 1639 at New Haven, CT, and took the oath of fidelity on Jul. 1, 1644. His will of Jul. 9, 1647 reads in part "I have an Estate in old-England... given by my father to my Elder Brother and myself... Left in ye hands of... mr William Lawson and Mr Wm Bankes to be kept in trust... in Yorkeshire in a Towne called Gigleweke In Craven... to be divided amoungst the children I had by my former wife, as Daniell Edward and John preston and my daughter Elizabeth Sarah & Mary and to my wife...." William's estate was inventoried "ye 30th day of ye 6th month 1647" (Aug. 30, 1647) at £65.15. Married first Oct. 11, 1613, Chesham, Buckingham, England; and second 1634-1635 Mary (surname unknown). As widow of Edward, Mary married second about 1661 Thomas KIMBERLY.
Elizabeth SALE - bap. Jun. 8, 1590, Chesham, Buckingham, England; bur. Feb. 22, 1634/5, Chesham, Buckingham. Mother of first eight children. Daughter of Edward SALE and Elizabeth GIFFORD.
Children of William and Elizabeth Preston
Hannah Preston daughter of William & Elizabeth Preston married: #1 Abraham (Abram) Kimberly
Married: 1654-1655 in , New Haven, New Haven,
Connecticut
Kimberley surname definition: English: habitational name from any of three places so named, in Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, and Norfolk. The one in Nottinghamshire, Chinemarelie in Domesday Book, is ‘woodland clearing of Cynem?r’, from an Old English personal name composed of the elements cyne- ‘royal’ + m?r ‘fame’, with leah ‘clearing’. The one in Warwickshire, recorded in 1311 as Kynebaldeleye, is ‘Cynebald’s clearing’ (see Kemble). The one in Norfolk, Chineburlai in Domesday Book, is ‘Cyneburh’s clearing’ (see Kimbrough).
Hanna Preston's Marriage #2 John CURTIS
born: 14 Oct 1642 in Stratford, Fairfield, Connecticut
Married: 1680 in Newark, NJ
Marriage 1 Abraham KIMBERLY
b: Abt 1630 in Wotton-under-edge, Gloucester, England
Children
1. Hannah KIMBERLY b: 11 Jan 1655/56 2. Hannah KIMBERLY b: 1659 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut 3. Mary KIMBERLY b: 4 May 1668 in Albemarle, Chowan, North Carolina 4. Sarah KIMBERLY b: 1 Aug 1672 in Albemarle, Chowan, North Carolina 5. Abraham KIMBERLY b: 4 Mar 1674/75 in Albemarle, Chowan, North Carolina
Tom Campbell is a Preston descendant and lives in Washington state. Tom's wife, Alana Campbell's ancestors through James Hunt settled Preston County, WVA and are written in the History of Preston County by Oren Morten.