PURPOSE OF THE MASKREY RESOURCE CENTER

Although the MASKREY descendants have been collectively amassing records and information on the family for years, until now it has been difficult to readily access the information. By placing a significant amount of data online, we hope to make it relatively easy for anyone in the world to connect to the clan who settled in the Midlands of England at the time of the Norman Conquest. Please note, however, that the online GEDCOM file is by no means a record of all MASKREYs originating in England. There also may be errors or discrepencies, since many records are missing or do not give enough information to positively identify the individual. If you do not find your lineage, please send an E-mail with your particulars. It is very likely that we can connect you to one or more of our researchers. It is also our wish that newfound MASKREY "cousins" will join us at our reunions and get to know the wonderful people waiting to meet you, all held together through the bond of our genetic heritage. So, avail yourself of our resources, make yourself known, and become part of the extended MASKREY family.

MEANING AND ORIGIN OF THE MASKREY NAME

There have been several theories put forth as to the origin and meaning of the name MASKREY. Until recently, most Maskrey descendants agreed that the first individuals to arrive on English soil in the company of William the Conquerer, were Norman butchers associated with the de Ferrers family. In fact, the first Maskrey on record was William le Macekre ("the butcher"?) in 1235 working in Nottingham Castle, later moving to Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire. From there, Maskreys have settled mostly in Ashbourne, Wirksworth, Chesterfield and Sheffield, eventually finding their way to the U. S. and Canada.

However, the notion of Maskreys being Norman changed with the arrival at one of the family reunions of Salem Nassar Al-Maskri, secretary general of the Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman. According to him, the Al-Maskri tribe stretches back 2400 to Sheba, which is present day Yemen. Three hundred years after the death of the famous Queen of Sheba, a dam collapsed, causing the region to become flooded and forcing the people to flee north to Persia. After their King, Malik bin Fahm Al-Azdi, successfully fought off the Persians, they settled in Suhar, the very port from which Sinbad sailed. One of the King's grandsons, Maskara, was the patriarch of the 20,000 or so farmers living in the region today. Based on similar names found in other parts of the world, (Maskouri in Greece, Mascari in Italy) it is a fair assumption that some tribesmen left farming for a more adventurous life along the trade routes, making their way through Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq, across Turkey into Greece, beyond the Mediterranean into Italy and Spain and finally onward to France.

MASKREY NEWSLETTER

The Maskrey Magazine: quarterly newsletter with submissions from Maskreys from all over the world, including genealogies, human interest stories, newslcippings, gravestone inscriptions, photos, historical articles, genealogical data, etc., etc. (£10 sterling for subscription from U.S.)
Snail Mail to:
Carol Beadle
5 Marshall Hill Drive
Mapperley
Nottingham, ENGLAND
NG3 6FY

THE 2002 MASKREY FAMILY REUINION

This year's MASKREY get-together will take place Sunday, September 8th in Nottingham, where the clan will try to find early records pertaining to our ancestry. For information on where and when next year's will take place, contact Carol Beadle, above, at [email protected]

MASKREY RESEARCHERS

Latter Day Saints