Burle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the name Burle date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the fort by the wood having derived from the Old English burhleah. 1

The name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where Wihenoc de Burli was listed as holding lands in Norfolk. 2 Over one hundred years later, John de Burgeley was found in Hertfordshire in the Feet of Fines for 1198 and later, John of Burlay was registered in Warwickshire in the Assize Rolls in 1249. 3

Early Origins of the Burle family

The surname Burle was first found in Somerset where Burley Castle where a motte and bailey castle of the late 11th or early 12th century remains to this day. The village and civil parish Burley, or Burley-on-the-Hill, is located two miles north-east of Oakham in Rutland. Burleigh Castle is located near the village of Milnathort, in Perth and Kinross, Scotland and dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. It was held by the Balfours from 1446. Burleigh is also a village in Berkshire, England, within the civil parish of Warfield.

Some of the earliest records of the family include: John Burley (d. 1333), a Carmelite of Stamford; Walter Burley (or Burleigh), (c.1275-1344), a medieval English logician, Master of Arts at Oxford in 1301, and a fellow of Merton College, Oxford until 1305; and Sir Simon Burley (1336-1388), an early English warrior and favourite from a Herefordshire family. "His parentage is uncertain, but he appears to have been a younger brother rather than a son of the Sir John Burley who received the Garter at the accession of Richard II." 4 He was accused and sentenced for abuse of power by the parliament 5 May 1388 and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, which was commuted by the king. He was summarily beheaded the same day. 4

Thomas de Burley (died c.1371) was an English-born monk who served as a Crown official and jurist. He held office twice as Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Early History of the Burle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burle research. Another 191 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1336, 1384, 1388, 1409, 1437, 1485 and 1510 are included under the topic Early Burle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burle Spelling Variations

Burle has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Burle have been found, including Burley, Burleigh, Burlie, Burrley, Burrlie, Burrleigh, Burly, Bourley, Bourleigh, Bourly, Berly and many more.

Early Notables of the Burle family

Distinguished members of the family include

William Burley, Speaker of the House of Commons of England in March 1437

Migration of the Burle family to Ireland

Some of the Burle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 46 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burle migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Burles to arrive on North American shores:

Burle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mary Burle, who arrived in Maryland in 1649 5
Robert Burle, who landed in Maryland in 1649 5
Robert, Burle Jr., who landed in Maryland in 1649 5
Sarah Burle, who arrived in Maryland in 1649 5
Stephen Burle, who landed in Maryland in 1649 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Burle (post 1700) +

Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994), Brazilian landscape architect

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)