Burtch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Burtch is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in an area close to a birch tree which is derived from the Old English word Birce, which literally means birch. The family gave their name to the village of Birch in Lancashire.

Early Origins of the Burtch family

The surname Burtch was first found in Lancashire at Birch, a district chapelry, in the parish of Manchester, union of Chorlton, hundred of Salford. "The chapel, dedicated to St. James, is supposed to have been originally built by a member of the family of Birch. Birch Hall, a seat of the Haverseges, passed from them to the Birches; and it is conjectured that the plans laid by James, Earl of Derby, for seizing Manchester for Charles I., were disconcerted by the councils of Col. Birch (1615-1691) and his compeers, held here." 1

"In the reign of Edward II. the manor [of Birches in Cheshire] passed with the heiress of Nicholas de Birches, by marriage, to the Winningtons." 1

Early History of the Burtch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burtch research. Another 46 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1615, 1645, 1652, 1660, 1691 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Burtch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burtch Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Burtch family name include Birch, Birche, Burch, Berch and others.

Early Notables of the Burtch family

Notables of the family at this time include John Birch, Bishop of Hereford; and Colonel John Birch (1615-1691), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Leominster (1645-1660), who fought for the Parliamentary cause in the English civil war. He "belonged to a younger...
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burtch Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burtch Ranking

In the United States, the name Burtch is the 14,677^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Burtch family to Ireland

Some of the Burtch family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burtch migration to Canada +

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Burtch surname or a spelling variation of the name include:

Burtch Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Charles Burtch U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 3
Mr. Charles Burtch Sr., U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 3
Mr. Edee Burtch U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 3
Mr. Edn Burtch U.E. who settled in Home District, [Niagara], Lincoln County, Ontario c. 1783 3
Mr. Nathan Burtch Sr., U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 3

Burtch Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Peter Burtch, who arrived in Manitoba in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Burtch (post 1700) +

Mervyn Burtch MBE (b. 1929), Welsh composer, recipient of the John Edwards Memorial Award in 1991

The Burtch Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Prudentia simplicitate
Motto Translation: Simply prudent.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X