“All human beings, not utterly savage, long for some information about past times“-- 	
Lord MACAULAY.

	“It is wise for us to recur to the history of our ancestors. Those, who are regardless of their past do not perform their duty to the world.” 
					-----DANIEL WEBSTER, Speech 	Dec. 	22, 1845.

It is with these preceding comments, that I invite you to a journey back in time, to a place in the Midlands of the British Isles, namely Staffordshire. The name Webb, Webbe, Web and other derivations of the name have evolved over time, and most documentation I have researched indicates that the name Webb, was an occupational name for 'weaver' in Olde English.

Our earliest recorded History commences with the Burial of Sampsonus Webb at St. Michael's Stone, Staffordshire. As the average life expectancy at birth for English people in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was just under 40 – 39.7 years, I have given Sampson an approximate Birth date of 1544. NOTE- However, this low figure was mostly due to the high rate of infant and child mortality; over 12% of all children born would die in their first year.

Also, I was fortunate enough to come across the following-:

Excerpt from Staffordshire Library Archives Website concerning the Book– “A List of Families in the Archdeaconry of Staffordshire 1532/3“,  by Ann J. Kettle. 
Transcribed from a unique document at Lichfield Record Office, this book lists some 51,000 Staffordshire people five years before the earliest parish register. This is a fascinating and invaluable source for family and local historians. 

Tipton		
Robert Weybe, wife Agnes, children Isabel & John							

Stowe
William Weybe, wife Margery, parents John & Agnes						
Richard Weybe, wife Margaret; Richard, Elizabeth & Ellen						
John Weybe, wife Agnes; Richard, John, Henry, Agnes, Lewis, Ralph, Antony			

Amerton
Richard Weybe, wife 										

Brewood
George Weybe, wife Anna; Thomas, Shyrwyn,     Henry, Thomas.					

Penkridge Moor hall (The Mor hall)
Thomas Weybe, wife Isabel; Alice, Edward, John, Edith; parents Nicholas & Margaret.		

Hatherton (Haderton)
Roger Weybe, wife Elizabeth; Joan; Richard, Denise, parents Roger Wytacur				

Dunston (Dounston)
John Weybe, wife Elizabeth; John, Thomas, Joan, Phyllis, Agnes, Nicholas, Thomas, John, John.	

Baswich (Bednall)
Edward Weybe, wife Margaret; Joan, John, Nicholas, William, John, Joan.				

Castle Church
William Weybe, wife Alice; Thomas, Margaret, Alice.						

Trysull (Chapell of Tresyll the Tysday in Wytson Weke)
Dominus George Weybe, curatus ibidem								

Stone (Aston) ***
Thomas Weybe, Ellen, uxor eius, Joan, Agnes, Thomas, Margaret, Elizabeth, Humphrey. 		

Barlaston
Alexander Weybe, Joan, uxor eius, Agnes, Margaret, uxores eius, James, Richard, Agnes,   
parentes.		Richard, Agnes,								
Robert Weybe, Marion, uxor eius, Agnes, Richard, Margaret, Thomas, Ralph, Randal, 	
Robert, Brice, James.

Walsall (Great Bloxwich) Greott Bloxsugh
Richard Weybe, † Agnes, † Joan, uxores eius, 	† 	 Elizabeth		                        		       	
					 				              uxores eius = wives
Wolverhampton Dam Street (Demstrete)
John Webbe, Joan, † Jane, uxores eius, Margaret, John, Agnes, † Mary, Jane. 			
	Thomas Hicmon, Emmot, uxor eius.				uxor eius. = his wife
	Thomas Hicmon, Margery, uxor eius, John, William.

Alrewas Fradley (Frodley)
John Webbe, wife Margaret, John, Isabel, Margaret, Nicholas, Agnes, Alice, Joan, William. 		

Yoxall (Morrey)
John Weybe, wife Joan.
 										
Lichfield (Saddler Street) The Sadeler Strete
John Webbe, syngulman, Thomas, Margaret, parentes.						

Lichfield, Hammerwich (Homerwych)	
John Weybe syngulman, Parents Hugh & Emmot								
		
*** So we can see that the Webb name was evident in Stone, as early as 1532/33. and further research found the name as early as 1360 as is evidenced by this record-:

' Matilda, widow of John Pontrel, quitclaims* to Robert le Webbe of Homerwych a meadow in the fee of Homerwych called Odynsmedue, which formed part of her dower**, and which the said Robert formerly had of the gift of the said John.	 
Witnesses : Stephen Fordiane ; James in le Mor ; Roger
del Overton ; Henry Pernel ; Robert Suetelone.
Date : 1360.
Latin. 

* a formal renunciation or relinquishing of a claim.
** a widow's share for life of her husband's estate.

Hearth tax 1662-1689
Each liable householder was to pay one shilling, twice a year, for each fire, hearth and stove in each dwelling or house. The tax's complex administration meant assessment and collection methods changed radically over time.

The following persons were charged
Webbe			
Name	        Location	                                    Hearths	Not to Be charged
Marmaduke	        Stafford Burough Green Gate Ward	                           1	
Garter	        Stafford Burough East Gate Ward		                   0
Robert	        Bromley Pagets Constablewick	1	
Sampson	        Coulton Constablewick	                2	
Humphrey	        Coulton Constablewick	                2	
Sampson	        Coulton Constablewick	                4	
Thomas	        Hixon, Colwich Constablewick	        4	
Richard	        Stowe & Amerton	                        1	
Anne	                Hixon, Colwich Constablewick	        1	
Robert	        Weston Super Trent	                1	
Francis	        Salt & Enson Constablewick	        1	
James	        Kibbleston Constablewick	        1	
Francis	        Barlaston Constablewick	        2	
John	                Barlaston Constablewick	        1	
William	        Stoake Super Trent		              0
Randle	        Fenton & Longton Constablewick	1	

So as one can see, we have been evident in Staffordshire for quite some tome.


Please advise any comments, additions, corrections, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the site.