This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'de Aubigny,' a spot in Normandy (v. Taylor's Rom. de Rou). 'William de Albini attended William the Conqueror at the Conquest Wace mentions him as the "butler D'Aubignie"' (ibid. p. aai). Lower has a good article on the name (Patronymica Britannica). In some of the instances in the French the de is practically duplicated.

William de Aubeni, Nottinghamshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

William de Daubeney, Buckinghamshire, ibid.

John Daubini, Lincolnshire, ibid.

Hugh de Aubeny, Norfolk, ibid.

Ordnell de Daubeny, Warwickshire and Leicestershire, Henry III-Edward I: Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I.

William de Aubeny, Lincolnshire, ibid.

Ascelina Daubeny, Bedfordshire, 20 Edward I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

1540. Married — Oliver Dawbney and Anne Forde: St. Dionis Backchurch (London).

The French D’Aubigny = Of Aubigny or Albinus’s Estate [M.Latin Albiniac-um, -ác-um being the Latin-Gaul. poss. suff.] Aubigny is a common French place- name.

This name was borne by the posterity of Robert de Todeni, who built Belvoir Castle, and first owned the noble domain on which it looks down. The son—for some cause or other—assumed the name of De Albini, and was styled “Brito” to distinguish from Albini Pincerna, Earl of Arundel. The name did not become Daubeny till quite the end of the thirteenth century (nearly fifty years after the splendid heritage of Belvoir had passed away through an heiress to the De Ros’), when Elias Daubeny, first so styled, had summons to parliament as a baron. It can therefore only find place here as an interpolation.

Some of these additions, I may say, show a profound ignorance of genealogy. A name already given in its original form is repeated in its modern one. This is one instance among several others, such as Mucegros—Musgrave; Limesay— Lindsay.

A branch of De Toesni, baron of Belvoir, William I. The barons of Toesni and Conches, one of the greatest houses in Normandy, descended from Malahulcius, uncle of Duke Rollo. See Lord Lindsay’s Lives of the Lindsays; Banks, Dorm. and Extinct Baronage; Dugdale, &c. The Lords Daubeney, Earls of Bridgewater, were of this line.

From the Old Norse, - from the French, D’Albini; a personal name D’Albini in the Domesday Book.

Daubeny: The descendants of Robert de Toeni bore this name. The son of Robert assumed the name of De Albini, and was styled “Brito” to distinguish him from the Albini, the Pincerna, Earl of Arundel.

Daubney is a very ancient Lincolnshire name. In the forms of Daubini and de Aubini it occurred in the wapentake of Ness in the reign of Edward I., and as Aubeny and Aubeney at the same time in other parts of the county (H. R.); in the same reign we find Daubeney or Daubeny in Bucks (H. R.).