This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Wilberfoss,' a parish in East Riding of Yorks, five miles from Pocklington.

Robert de Wylberfosse, Yorkshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Peter de Wilberfoss, potter, 4 Edward II: Freemen of York.

John de Wilberfosse, potter, 4 Richard II: ibid.

1586. Edward Wilberfosse and Ann Monjoye, alias Mountjoye: Marriage Lic. (London).

(Scandinavian) belonging to Wilberfoss (Yorks), 13th cent. Wylberfosse = Wil- borg’s Waterfall [Old Norse foss, fors, waterfall]

Professor Pott, in his Die Familiennamen, associates this celebrated name with the German Starke, and the French La Force; but it is a simple corruption of Wilberfoss, a township in E. Yorkshire, where the family were settled from the early Norman reigns-traditionally from the Conquest-until the middle of the XVI. cent. Even so lately as about a century ago, the name still lingered in the parish and township. The earliest recorded individual of the name is Ilgerus de Wilberfosse, who flourished under Henry II.

Local. That is, Wild—boar—foss, a dike, a ditch. Wil—burgh—foss.

From Wilberfoss; a location name in Yorkshire.

Wilberforce, or Wilberfoss is a name taken from the East Riding parish of Wilberfoss. The family of the name resided there from the early Norman reigns to the middle of the 16th century (L.). In the 13th century this name took the forms in this county of Do Wilberfos, De Wilbfos, and De Wilbfosse (H. R.). It was for many generations prominently connected with the city of York, where it is still to he found; Allen Wilberfoss was sheriff in 1476, Roger Wilberfoss was sheriff in 1678, and Leonard Wilberfoss was lord mayor in 1686; Thomas Wilberfoss, who died in 1682, was a York attorney (D.). Wilberforce was also the name of a family of Beverley merchants in the 17th and 18th centuries; and in 1643, 1674, and 1712, a Wilberforce held the office of mayor (P. B.). William Wilberforce was mayor of Hull in 1722 (T. H.).