Birkenshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Birkenshaw surname is habitational, taken on from the name of the Chapelry of Birkenshaw in the Parish of Birstall, county Yorkshire. The place literally means "small wood or copse where birch trees grow" from the Old English "bircen" 1

Early Origins of the Birkenshaw family

The surname Birkenshaw was first found in Yorkshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, most likely even before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D., given the Old English roots of their name.

The first on record was William del Birkenschawe listed in 1274 in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire. A Thomas Birchynshaw was listed in the Poll Tax Rolls of that same county in 1379. 2

Early History of the Birkenshaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birkenshaw research. Another 70 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1408, 1587, 1634, 1664, 1672 and 1739 are included under the topic Early Birkenshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birkenshaw Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Birkenshaw are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Birkenshaw include: Birkenshaw, Birkinshaw, Bircumshaw, Burtenshaw and many more.

Early Notables of the Birkenshaw family

Distinguished members of the family include John Birchensha (fl. 1664-1672), a Welsh musician, "probably a member of the Burchinshaw, Burchinsha, Byrchinshaw, or Byrchinsha family, the senior branch of which were settled...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Birkenshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Birkenshaw family to Ireland

Some of the Birkenshaw family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birkenshaw migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Birkenshaw Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Birkenshaw, aged 20, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "North"

Birkenshaw 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:

Birkenshaw Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Captain Capt Birkenshaw, American settler travelling from Honolulu aboard the ship "Tyrian" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th October 1851 3
Mrs. Mrs Birkenshaw, American settler travelling from Honolulu aboard the ship "Tyrian" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th October 1851 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Birkenshaw (post 1700) +

Jack Birkenshaw MBE (b. 1940), English former cricketer, umpire and coach

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html