This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Philibert.' Professor Skeat shows the probability of the filbert being called after the saint, the nutting season then commencing, and quotes 'The Philibert that loves the vale' (Peacham's Emblems, ed. 1612). See Yonge's Christian Names, ii. 331. The American Philiberts are chiefly of French origin.

Fulbert Pedifer, London. Riley's Memorials of London.

Oto Fulbryght, and Emmota, his mother, Close Rolls, 24 Henry VI.

Robert Filberd, Close Rolls, 6 Edward IV.

(Fibert (Duchesne); Felebert (Leland); Seint Philbert in Brompton’s list) a baronial family, whose name, derived from St. Philibert-sur-Rile, in the arrondissement of Pont Audemer, was abbreviated by the same process that converted the “nuces de S. Philiberto” into filberts. They bore Argent, three bendlets Azure, and were Lords of Bray, in Berkshire, and Beach amwell in Norfolk, at the end of the twelfth century. Nicholas de St.Philibert, in 1213, went with King John to Poitou. Hugh de St.Philibert (who, with his wife Albreda, is first mentioned in 1201) was in arms with the insurgent barons, but returned to his obedience on the accession of Henry III., had restitution of his lands in Norfolk and Cornwall, and was appointed Governor of Jersey in 1225. His son Roger, and another of the name, William de St.Philibert, were both actively engaged in the rebellion of 1262; and the former was taken prisoner at the rout of Northampton. The latter assisted in the defence of Dover Castle; but, “after the Battle of Evesham, submitting himself, had reception to the King's grace and favour, and restitution of his lands in Northants.”—Dugdale. Roger’s daughter and heiress, Beatrix, married Stephen de Scales; and his brother Hugh succeeded as next heir, and was summoned to parliament by Edward I. in 1298. He was a staunch soldier in the Scottish and Gascon wars, constantly employed in the King’s service from 1296 till his death in 1304. He had obtained through his wife a large property in Norfolk and Suffolk that had been the inheritance of Benedict de Blakeham. It seems that this infatuated youth, within a few months after his coming of age, divested himself of the whole of his possessions, granting them, in consideration of a trifling annuity, to Lady St. Philibert in fee. Her husband survived her, and when he was on his death-bed, “in the presence of his household, acknowledged to Benedict in person that he had much wronged him, and begged his forgiveness.” —Gage's Suffolk.

Sir John de St.Philibert, Hugh’s son, performed his homage in 1313, and three years later had a charter of free warren in his lands at Rackheath Magna, &c., Norfolk, Thomson and Suthorp in Gloucestershire, Westwell and Adwell in Oxfordshire, Leghes Parva in Essex, and Lackford, &c., in Suffolk. He served in the wars of Edward II. and Edward III., and was appointed Governor of Bordeaux in 1331, “with an assignation of £ioo for the expenses of his Journey thither.” In 1333 he died, leaving two sons; John, his heir, then but six years old, and Thomas, who had the manor of Sudham, but d. s. p.; with three daughters, Margery, Alice, and Maud, eventually the heirs general of the family. John, while yet an infant, was contracted in marriage to Joan de Ufford, daughter of the Earl of Suffolk; but she died early, and in 1347 he espoused the heiress of Basing, Margaret de St. John, elder sister and co-heir of Edmund, third Lord St. John of Basing, in whose right he received a summons to parliament the following year. He fought under the Black Prince in the French wars, and five times crossed the Channel in his retinue, dying “beyond seas” in 1359. His only child, a son named St. John, was barely six months old at the time; and his widow followed him to the grave within the next two years. The little orphaned boy died the day after he had lost his mother; and his share of the great St.John inheritance merged in that of his aunt Isabel de Poynings. His paternal estates passed to his father’s three sisters, Margery, wife of Sir Richard Plays; Alice, wife of Sir Brian Stapleton of Carleton and Wighill in the county of York, K.G.; and Maud, wife of Sir Waryn Trussel.

Blomfield also mentions a Pain de St.Philibert, who lived about the same time as John I., and with his wife Ysolda held some lands at Thorp at Norfolk; but gives no further account of him or his posterity.

Philibert, a French personal name. St. Philibert was abbot of Jumieges in the VII. cent., and several villages in Normandy and Picardy bear his name. From some one of these the filbert-nuts-maces de Sancto Philiberto-are presumed to have been imported into England. This nut has been a particularly hard one for the teeth of etymologists. See Richardson. See also Mr. Blaauw, in Sussex Arch. Coll. vi. 46.

The same as the Old German name Filiberthus (Philobertus); from viel brecht, very renowned ( præclarus). Wachter renders viel in composition, weit and laut.

From St. Philbert; a location name in France. Orfrom the Danish, Filbert; a personal name.

Filbert: is St. Philibert in Calvados.