This ancient name, found principally in Scotland and Northern England, is of Anglo-Saxon origin; it derives directly from the Middle English male personal name "Sybald", itself representing a coalescence of two Olde English pre 7th Century given names, "Saebeald" and "Sigebeald". The first of these is composed of the elements "sae", sea, with "beald", bold, brave, and the second of "sige", victory, with "beald", as before. This latter personal name was reinforced in the Middle Ages by the Norman introduction of the Continental cognates "Sibaud, Sibault". The given name is first recorded in Scotland at the beginning of the 13th Century; Walter, son of Sibald, is mentioned in the Register of the Abbey of Arbroath, circa 1200. In 1286, Sir Duncan Sybald made a grant of one stone of wax and four shillings for light to the monks of Cupar-Angus, and one David Sibbald of "Augansouthe", Lanarkshire, rendered homage in 1296. Among recordings of the surname in Scotland is that of the marriage of Robert Sibbald and Bessie Coalston, at Gifford, East Lothian, on November 20th 1655. A Coat of Arms granted to a family of the name depicts a blue cross moline square pierced on a silver shield; the Crest is a red cross moline, and the Motto, "Justitia", Justice. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of David Sibald, which was dated circa 1250, charter witness in "Records of North Berwick", Scotland, during the reign of King Alexander 111 of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. 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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