The name “Corbin”, derives from the Norman French word, “Corbeau”, a raven, a black bird. Originally the France of today was known as Gallia (Gaul), but the Romans under Caesar conquered it and through the years it's Latin element necessarily became pronounced; then later it was overrun by the Vikings, northern Europeans, and hence called Northmen or Normans, and a part of the Gallic land became Normandy.
The first mention of a name similar to Corbin that I have found thus far is Saint Corbinian, who was born 670 in Chatres, France near Melun, in Frankish territory and died 730 in Freising, Germany. Corbinian was born, Waldegiso. However his mother, Corbiniana renamed him Corbinian shortly after the death of his father. He erected a Benedictine monastery and a school on a mountain near Freising. I have not made a correlation though, between Saint Corbinian, born in 670 and Robert Corbin, born in 1060.
We are descendants of Robert Corbyn, who established Corbyn Hall, in Staffordshire, England around 1080. Robert's great-grandson, gave lands to the Abbey of Talesworth, between 1154-1161, in the reign of Henry II, of England. The Corbyn family lived in Staffordshire until around 1452. They then moved to Hall End, County Of Warwick, Polesworth, England, and lived there until 1652, when Thomas and son, John came to the Virginia Colony in 1652, on the ship "Peter" of London. The Corbyn name was changed to Corbin to differentiate between the European and American families upon arriving at the Virginia Colony.
Henry Corbin was the first Corbin who came to the Virginia Colony which was in 1650. The name of Corbin has been associated with the history of Virginia since the Colonial days, when they contributed services to their country as early as 1657.
There are many different versions of the Corbin coat of arms. However, the description and two arms below appears to be the most accurate for our lineage that I have found.
Arms: Argent (Silver) on a chief Or (Gold) and three ravens sable.
Motto: Probitas verus honos (Honesty is true honor).
Crest: A dexter hand proper holding a cross pattée fitchée az (Blue).
The Corbins who moved to Warwickshire changed the colors on their coat of arms to blue and eliminated the crest. This is according to the Warwickshire County Record Office in Enland. The arms below represents our family branch.
Arms: Azure (Blue) on a chief Or (Gold) and three ravens sable.
Motto: Probitas verus honos (Honesty is true honor).
The Corbin Family is an old Virginia family, but the story begins in England, in Of Annington, with Thomas Corbin who was born in 1517. His ancestors may be traced to the Norman conquest of England in 1066. His descendant, a Henry Corbin, was born in Of, Hall End, Warwiskshire, England in 1629. He came to Virginia Colony on the ship Charity and settled in Stratton Major, King & Queen Co. (so named for his home in Enland). He served in the House of Burgesses in 1657, 59 and 60. The Corbins built the estate Peckatom, featuring a Georgian Mansion that sat on the shore of the Patomac. In 1645 he married Alice Eltonhead in Lancaster County, Virginia. They had the following childern: Laetitia, 1657; Winifred, 1662; Anne, 1664; John, 1657; Gawin, 1659; and Thomas, 1669. Henry Corbin was one of the most powerful persons in the colony. He had been in the "Country Club" that John Lee had established.
