This name is of English locational origin either from Cornbrough in the North Riding of Yorkshire or from Cornbury (park) in Oxfordshire. The former, recorded as Corlebroc in the Domesday Book of 1086 and as Cornburc in the 1166 Pipe Rolls of that county derives its name from the Olde English pre 7th Century "corn(a)" meaning a crane, plus "broc", a marsh or water meadow, hence, "the marsh frequented by cranes". The latter, recorded as Corneberie in the Domesday Book translates as "Cranes' fort". The second element derives from the Olde English "burh", a fort and appears variously as "b(o)rough", "burgh" and "bury". On April 28th 1724 Martha Cornborough and Thomas Calam were married in Barton le Willows, Yorkshire and on January 31st 1743, Frances Cornborough married Thomas Blewitt in London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mary Cornborough, daughter of John Cornborough, which was dated June 6th 1680, christened in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, during the reign of King Charles II, known as "The Merry Monarch", 1660 - 1685. 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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