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ArchivesWhere does the surname Libby comes from?
It is very common in Maine, the US, and Quebec, Canada.
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Libby is generally derived from Isabel and in New England, in can be an alteration of the French name Labbé, from l'abbé 'the abbot', an ironic nickname.
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Looking at the records though it seems the surname is derived rather from the masculine name Libbe, an import from the low countries where it is a hypocoristic form of various Germanic names such as Liutbert.
Libbe, Lybbe, Lybbye appear as surnames in the early 16th Century, and a John son of Libbe appears to date from the 15th. The Libby variation appears in the mid 15th century, sometimes later in some families.
L'Abbe appears to be a short form of inhabitant surnames such as "(du) Pont L'Abbe" (of Abbot's Bridge), referring to a village/feudal estate in Brittany. At least some Duponts have the same origin.
Libbe, Lybbe, Lybbye appear as surnames in the early 16th Century, and a John son of Libbe appears to date from the 15th. The Libby variation appears in the mid 15th century, sometimes later in some families.
L'Abbe appears to be a short form of inhabitant surnames such as "(du) Pont L'Abbe" (of Abbot's Bridge), referring to a village/feudal estate in Brittany. At least some Duponts have the same origin.
This message was edited 10/16/2021, 1:22 PM
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