'Villiers01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Villiers of Brokesby (Brooksby), Villiers (Villers) of Dowsby, Villiers of Howthorpe
[Most of this page was originally produced on 28.12.04 as a new top section of what is now Villiers01. The lower section was moved to Villiers02 to facilitate expansion of this page.]

                               
Although various earlier family members have been identified, the first known to be ancestor of this family was the following Alexander. Visitation, which spells the family name as "Villers", shows him as father of John (a 1277) father of Sir George & John who (by Joane Symon) was father of Alexander of Brokesby (father of Robert), William & John who was father of Richard father (by Elizabeth) of John father of the William who married Joane Bellers. We follow Collins which leaves us uncertain where (for example) Sir George fitted in.
Alexander de Vylers of Brokesby or Brooksby, Leicestershire
1. Sir Nicholas de Villers of Brokesby
  A. Sir Francis de Villers of Brokesby (dsp by 1348)
  m. Agnes
  B. Geoffrey de Villers or Villiers of Brokesby shown by BEB1841 as son of John son of John
  i. Sir George de Villers or Villiers of Brokesby not mentioned by Collins, possibly of this generation (see note above)
  a. Margaret de Villers
  m. _ Fuljambe of Derbyshire
  ii. John de Villers or Villiers of Brokesby
  m1. Joan Pakeman (sister of Simon Pakeman of Kirby)
  a. Richard de Villers or Villiers of Brokesby (d c1392) omitted by BEB1841
m. Elizabeth named by Visitation
  (1) John de Villiers of Brokesby (b c1380, d 1402-3)
  m. Joan Meering (dau of William Meering)
  (A) John de Villiers of Brokesby (b c1401, d young)
(B) William de Villiers of Brokesby (d 1449-50 (sb 1480?))
  m. Joan Bellers (sister/coheir of John Bellers or Beler)
  (i) John de Villiers (dvp)
m. Elizabeth Southill (dau of John Southill of Everingham)
  (a) Sir John Villiers of Brokesby, Sheriff of Leicestershire & Warwickshire (d 02.12.1507)
  m. Agnes Digby (dau of John Digby of Colshill) @@ see here (but dates wrong) @@
  ((1)) Sir John Villiers of Brokesby, Sheriff of Leicestershire & Warwickshire (d 08.12.1538 or 08.12.1544)
  m. Elizabeth Wingar (dau of John Wingar or Winger of London)
  ((A)) Dorothy Villers (b c1516)
m. Francis Brown (d 1592)
  ((2)) George Villiers of Brokesby & Howby (d 29.08.1547)
  m. Joan Harrington (dau of John Harrington of Bagworth)
  ((A)) Richard Villers of Brokesby (b c1544, dsp young)
((B)) George Villers (dsp)
  ((C)) Elizabeth Villers (dsp)
  m. Sir Edward Waterhouse
  ((3)) Thomas Villiers of Brokesby
  ((A)) Dorothy Villers
  m. William Smith of Leicestershire
  ((4)) William Villiers of Brokesby (d 01.11.1558-9) generation omitted by Visitation
  m. Coletta Clarke (dau of Richard Clarke of Huntingdonshire, widow of Richard Beaumont of Coleorton)
  ((A)) Sir George Villiers of Brokesby, Sheriff of Leicestershire (d 04.01.1605)
  m1. Audrey Sanders (dau of William Sanders of Harrington)
  m2. Mary Beaumont, Countess of Buckingham (b c1569, d 19.04.1632, dau of Anthony Beaumont of Glenfield)
  ((5)) Edward Villiers of Flower (Flore) & Howthorp (d 26.06.1513)
  Collins (supported by BEB1841) reports that Edward was ancestor of Villers of Howthorp, Dowsby & Groby and that his grandson Edward (of Howthorpe) was father of Elizabeth. Visitation & Maddison's Lincolnshire Pedigreees (1903-6, Villers of Dowsby) provide the rest of the following.
m1. Elizabeth Wake
  ((A)) Clement Villiers
  m. Jane Saunders (dau of Thomas Saunders, sister of Sir Edward)
  ((i)) Edward Villiers of Northampton 'of Howthorpe'
  m. Sibell Turpin (sister of Sir George Turpin)
  ((a)) Elizabeth Villiers (d 1650, co-heir)
  m. (1610) George Bathurst of Howthorpe (b 1587)
  ((ii)) William Villiers (younger son)
  ((a)) John Villiers
  ((iii))+ other issue - Christopher of Dowsby (d 02.1571), Robert, Blase, Richard (dsp)
  ((B))+ other issue - Dorothy, Elizabeth
  m2. Joan Roos (dau/heir of Thomas Roos of Dowsby, she m2. David Cecil of Witham)
((D)) Anthony Villiers of Dowsby (d 04.03.1547)
  m. Elizabeth Lane (dau of John Lane of Kettering)
  ((i)) Edward Villiers of Dowsby (d 15.09.1565)
  ((ii)) Anna Villiers
  m. Thomas Rigden of Chatham
  ((a)) William Rigden of Dowsby
  ((E))+ other issue - George, Richard (dsp)
((6)) Ann Villers possibly of this generation
  m. Barthelmew Brookesby of Melton Mowbray
  ((7))+ other issue - Leonard (dsp), Bartholomew (dsp), Anthony of Cotness in Yorkshire (d 1547-8), Winifrid
  (b)+ other issue - Thomas (dsp), Christopher of Burstall (dsp 05.08.1514-5, Sheriff), William, Elizabeth
  (ii) Bartholomew de Villers
  m. Margaret Wystonstyn
  (iii) Eleanor Villers possibly of this generation
  m. John Fitzwilliam of Milton & Green's Norton
  (iv) Elizabeth Villers possibly of this generation
  m. Sir Ralph Woodford
  b. Beatrix de Villers
  m. Sir John Bagot of Blithfield (d 1437)
  c.+ other issue - John, Alexander
  m2. Margaret (a 1392)

Main source(s): Collins (1741, vol ii, Villiers, Earl of Jersey) with some support from Visitation (Leicestershire, 1619, Villers), BEB1841 (Villiers of Brooksby)
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