Recorded as Talboy, Tallboy, Talboys, Tallboys, Tailby, Talby, Talbey, Talbee, and possibly others, this is an English surname. It has at least three possible and interesting origins. The first is from the French name Talebot, the later Talbot, introduced into England at the time of the Norman Conquest of 1066. This was originally a male given name, and translated as the "messenger of destruction", a suitably war-like name for the ever-warring Dark Ages. As an example Talebod de Neweham is noted in the Book of Seals for Essex in 1146. The second possibility is from the Old French "talebot", a nickname for bandits who blackened their faces to avoid recognition. In the dialect of Normandy, the name means 'lamp black'. The third possibility is locational from a village called Tealby in Lincolnshire. This village is recorded in the famous Domesday Book of 1086 as 'Tavelsbi', and is believed to mean 'The farm (bi) on the plateau'. Whatever its origin the surname has the very rare distinction of being first recorded in the Domesday Book (see below), whilst an Irish family of Talbot have held the earldoms of Shrewsbury and Waterford since the 15th Century. Examples of the surname recordings include Elizabeth Taylby who married Jeremy French at St John's Hackney, on April 20th 1634, Daniel Talby a christening witness at St Sepulchre church in the city of London, on May 29th 1692, and Anne Tallboy christened at the same church of St Sepulchre, on November 21st 1793. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Geoffrey Talebot. This was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book of Essex, during the reign of King William 1st of England, 1066 - 1087. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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