Owbridge Family History

Possibly from Hull Bridge in Beverley (ER Yorks), which is recorded as Ulbrigg in about 1120 (in an MS dated 1398) and Hulbrig Hulbryg from 1394–154. The place takes its name from the River Hull + Old English brycg ‘bridge’. A late Middle English change of -ul- to -ol- and then to -ou- occurs in Owram (from the ER Yorks place-name Ulrome). Similarly, (H)ulbryg could have developed to (H)oubrig.

Alternatively, Owbridge might have derived from Howe Bridge in Malton (NR Yorks), which is recorded as ponte de Hou in the 12th and 13th centuries and as ponte de How in the 15th century (ponte being the dative form of Latin pons ‘bridge’). The place-name derives from Old English hōh ‘heel, spur of land’ + brycg. The post-medieval bearers cited here may alternatively belong with (2).

A variant of Outbridge, an obsolete pronunciation of Oughtibridge, a WR Yorks name. Redmonds Dictionary of Yorks Surnames notes that a man named German Owbridge or Outbridge of Meadow Lane is recorded in 1651 in the Leeds Parish Registers.

Additionally, in the 1672 Hearth Tax, Henry Outbridg was registered in Market Weighton (ER Yorks) where Owbridge is also on record.