The surname everyone will have heard of living in this part of the West Midlands From the 'Salt King' to raven family crests and harking back to the Norman conquest of 1066AD - this surname has become widespread in a corner of the West Midlands region An old photo of Kingswinford Surnames offer a fascinating insight into our history and heritage, enabling us to peek back into the past. As a rule of thumb, last names usually relate to geographical locations, past occupations of family members, societal statuses, personal characteristics, or the names of male or female ancestors. ‌ Recently, BirminghamLive revealed the 50 most common surnames in the West Midlands, showing how the region has been shaped by the movement and migration of people. Article continues below READ MORE: Where is the actual Black Country? Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp , click the link to join If you live in one corner of the West Midlands, there's one surname you're guaranteed to have heard of. ‌ And it isn't featured on the top 50 list either. That name is Corbett, which is well known within Kingswinford and the surrounding area of Dudley. Research carried out by a chiropractor from Kingswinford, called Dr Nigel Corbett, has shown how the name features in companies and buildings going back hundreds of years. ‌ Dr Corbett, who runs Kingswinford Chiropractic Clinic, has himself been able to trace his family name, with certainty, back to 1708 to the nearby village of Kinver, Staffordshire. Overall, it's believed the Corbett name is Norman in origin and came over with William the Conqueror from France in the 11th century. Corbett can also be seen in other place names in the wider Midlands region, including the villages of Chaddesley Corbett near Kidderminster, Worcestershire, and Moreton Corbett, located north of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. ‌ In the 1921 census, there were more than 550 Corbetts living within a 10 mile radius of Kingswinford, showing how popular the name was locally. Historically, just down the road from Kingswinford, the village of Wordsley and town of Stourbridge became famous for glass-making during the industrial revolution. Among the companies based there included the world-renowned Webb Corbett, which was co-founded by Dr Corbett's great grandfather, George Harry Corbett, who was born in Kingswinford in 1856. ‌ Meanwhile, Corbett Hospital, based in the Amblecote area of Stourbridge, was founded in 1893 by a wealthy businessman called John Corbett, who was known as the Salt King through his salt workings which became the largest in Europe. There is also a park in Amblecote called Corbett Meadow, alongside a street called Corbett Road. Elsewhere, from 1861 to 1901, there was a butchers, greengrocer, fruiterer and confectioner based in Kingswinford bearing the name George Corbett, believed to be Dr Corbett's great-great-grandfather. ‌ This was followed by a confectioner and greengrocer named Kate Corbett in 1911. Other companies bearing Corbett in their name include Corbetts Motor Company Ltd, founded in 1925, which is based in Corbett Trading Estate, Dudley. Corbetts the Galvanisers, established in 1860, is based in Telford, Shropshire. ‌ Going back further in time, it's believed the village Chaddesley Corbett, which was recorded as Cedeslai in the Domesday Book of 1086AD, was given to a Corbett family following the Norman conquest. Meanwhile, Dr Corbett has unearthed a Corbett family crest which features a raven symbol, alongside a castle on the back of an elephant. With it, the crest has a motto reading 'Deus Pascit Corvos', which translates to 'the ravens please the Gods'. ‌ Dr Corbett said the family which was given the village of Chaddesley Corbett, alongside the Corbett family of the Salt King, used the raven symbol in their family crests. He said: "This suggests a connection, although the 'salt' Corbetts more recently came from Wordsley, suggesting a link with the 'glass' Corbetts." In its origins, it's thought the name Corbett derives from the Norman word 'corb' and French word 'corbeau', which both mean crow, therefore "any Corbett family can lay claim to that emblem", said Dr Corbett. ‌ Further afield, there are Corbetts found in northern and southern Wales, with a Corbett Road found in Cardiff, he said. And there are references to families with the surname Corbet in the Channel Island and Scotland, he said, spelt with a single letter 't'. Dr Corbett said: "As to the spelling of the name, only around 20 per cent of the population were literate in 1500, so variations in place and surnames are very common." ‌ Regarding his own family, Dr Corbett's dad Richard Corbett, and grandad Terence Corbett, were builders. Richard owned RS Corbett Builders Ltd, while Terrence hailed from Oldbury. Meanwhile, Dr Corbett's great-great grandfather was called George Corbett, who owned grocers in Kingswinford. ‌ Before that came a John Corbett, born in 1789, and another John Corbett born in Kinver in 1748. Dr Corbett said: "There are many Corbett branches, depending how far back you can link them." He added: "My side of the Corbetts is traced back to 1708 in Kinver with some certainty. Article continues below "Before this time, we have to rely on parish registers which typically cover the years 1538 to the 1830's, but often these have become lost or destroyed."