Attenborough Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Attenborough last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Attenborough last name
Meaning of the Attenborough last name: at the fortified place. Attenborough is an English surname from Attenborough in Nottinghamshire, from the personal name Adda and burh, "fortified place". It is found mainly in the East Midlands. The broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and his brother, the film director Richard Attenborough, made this last name known worldwide.
Arms associated with the Attenborough name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Attenborough name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Attenborough family history
This is only a glimpse of the Attenborough story. The full Attenborough history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Attenborough coat of arms. Get the full Attenborough report.
Attenborough name FAQ
What does the Attenborough name mean?
At the fortified place. Common variants include Attenburrow.
Where does the Attenborough surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Attenborough coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Attenborough coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).