O'Bierne Surname History

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the O'Bierne family

Early History of the O'Bierne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Bierne research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1747, 1748, 1789, 1812, 1823, 1850, 1853 and 1887 are included under the topic Early O'Bierne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Bierne Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the O'Bierne family name include Bierne, O'Bierne, Biern, O'Biern, Beirne, O'Beirne, Beirn, O'Beirn, Birn, O'Birn, Birne and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Bierne family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

• Thomas Lewis O'Bierne (1748-1823), Protestant Bishop of Meath in 1789

Migration of the O'Bierne family

Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the O'Bierne name: Bridget Birne, who sailed to Quebec in 1849; Michael Beirne to Philadelphia in 1867; Patrick Beirne to Philadelphia in 1869; Martin Beirn to Philadelphia in 1872.