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Bickerstaff History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Bickerstaff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Bickerstaff belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived in or near the village of Bickerstaffe, which was located near Ormskirk in the county of Lancashire. "In 1066 Bickerstaffe, under the name of Achetun, was one of the manors of Uctred, lord of Roby." 1

One of the first records of the family was Adam de Bickerstath whose son Ralph, held manor in 1212. "Adam de Bickerstath's name frequently appears in charters and other public acts of the time." 1 Adam de Bykerstaff was listed in Lancashire in 1289. 2 Alan de Birkestad de Bikerstath was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1246. 3

Early Origins of the Bickerstaff family

The surname Bickerstaff was first found in Lancashire, at Bickerstaffe, a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district. The village dates back to at least the 12th century when it was listed as Bikerstad and literally meant "landing place of the bee-keepers" from the Old English words bicere + staeth. 4

However, another reference claims the name came from the Old English word "bicker," meaning to skirmish or contend, as in bicker-staff, a weapon analogous to a quarter-staff. 5 This latter interpretation only occurs once through our research library and is mentioned here for reference purposes only as the former interpretation is more likely.

Early History of the Bickerstaff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bickerstaff research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1600, 1639, 1660, 1685, 1713, 1714, 1752 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bickerstaff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bickerstaff Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Bickerstaff include Bickerstaffe, Bickerstaff, Bickerstath, Bickerstathe, Bickersteth and many more.

Early Notables of the Bickerstaff family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Philip Bickerstaffe (1639-1714), an English merchant and politician, owner of Amble Works, Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1685...

Bickerstaff Ranking

In the United States, the name Bickerstaff is the 8,858^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Bickerstaff family to Ireland

Some of the Bickerstaff family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 147 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bickerstaff migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Bickerstaff were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Bickerstaff Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Sarah Bickerstaff who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682
Sarah Bickerstaff, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 7

Bickerstaff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Bickerstaff, aged 23, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1892

Bickerstaff Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Isaac Bickerstaff, aged 42, who immigrated to America from Antrim, in 1903
Harriet Bickerstaff, aged 25, who landed in America from Belfast, in 1906
Alexander Bickerstaff, aged 19, who settled in America from Rathfriland, England, in 1907
Elizabeth Bickerstaff, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, in 1908
John Bickerstaff, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States from Down, Ireland, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bickerstaff migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bickerstaff Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Bickerstaff, (b. 1853), aged 30, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Hawke's Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand in 1883 8
Mrs. Elizabeth Bickerstaff, (b. 1857), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Hawke's Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand in 1883 8
Mr. John Henry Bickerstaff, (b. 1876), aged 7, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Hawke's Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand in 1883 8
Mr. Robert Bickerstaff, (b. 1877), aged 6, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Hawke's Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand in 1883 8
Mr. George Bickerstaff, (b. 1879), aged 4, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Westland" arriving in Hawke's Bay, Napier, North Island, New Zealand in 1883 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bickerstaff (post 1700) +

Steve Bickerstaff (b. 1946), American professor of law at the University of Texas Law School in Austin, Texas
Melrose Bickerstaff (b. 1983), American fashion model and fashion designer known as Melrose
Erik Bickerstaff (b. 1980), American football running back and fullback
Edwin Bickerstaff (1920-2008), American neurologist, eponym of Bickerstaff's encephalitis and Bickerstaff's migraine
Bernard Tyrone "Bernie" Bickerstaff (b. 1944), American assistant coach for the NBA Los Angeles Lakers
William Bickerstaff (1728-1789), English antiquary, born at Leicester 17 July 1728, where he was appointed Undermaster of the Lower Free Grammar School 30 Jan. 1749 9
Matt Bickerstaff (b. 1976), Australian rugby league player from Sydney, New South Wales
Isaac Bickerstaff (1733-1812), Irish playwright

Citations +

'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Baines Thomas & William Fairbairn, Lancashire and Cheshire, Past and Present History of Counties London: William MacKenzie, 1867, Digital, 4 vols
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 17 June. 2019