Barkle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Although the surname is generally known as Scottish, the origins of the name come from when the ancestors of the family lived in the parish of Berkeley in the county of Gloucestershire. Local names such as Barkle were taken from the name of the place or landmark where the original bearer of the name lived or was born.

Early Origins of the Barkle family

The surname Barkle was first found in Gloucestershire, where the earliest records of the name include Roger de Bercleia of Gloucestershire in the Domesday Book of 1086; as well as Edidius de Berkeleye and Maurice de Berkelay of Somerset, both recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls in 1273. The family held the parish of Berkeley long before the Norman Conquest.

However, when they refused to submit to King William, they were pressured into moving northward to Scotland. There, they established a line close to the Scottish throne. One of the first records of the name was Theobald de Berkeley who was listed there temp. David I. 1

"Roger de Berkely, a Saxon living at the time of the Conquest was the grandfather of Theobald de Berkely, who settled in Scotland, and was the ancestor of the Barclays. " 2

"Walter de Berchelai or Berkelai held the high office of Chamberlain of Scotland in 1165, was present in Curia Regis at Lanark in that year, and witnessed several charters of William the Lion. " 3

During the late Middle Ages, the name was quite common in Fife and Aberdeenshire. They were the traditional sheriffs of Banffshire for many generations. Another line was established in Mathers during the end of the 12th century. In 1456, the chiefship went to the Barclays of Towie, and has since remained there.

Early History of the Barkle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barkle research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1189, 1196, 1476, 1552, 1582, 1598, 1610, 1621, 1648, 1668, 1682, 1686, 1690, 1696, 1698, 1890 and 1950 are included under the topic Early Barkle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barkle Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Berkeley, Barkley, Barklay, Barckley, Barclay and many more.

Early Notables of the Barkle family

Distinguished members of the family include Dr Alexander Barclay (c.1476-1552), English/Scottish poet; John Barclay (1582-1621), Scottish satirist and neo-Latin poet; Colonel David Barclay (1610-1686), 1st Laird of Urie, Kincardineshire, leader of a famed highland regiment that served as mercenaries under Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden; and his son, Robert Barclay (1648-1690), a Scottish Quaker, one of the most eminent writers belonging to the Religious Society of Friends, 2nd Governor of East Jersey (1682-1690.) Sir George Barclay (fl. 1696), was the principal agent in the assassination plot against William III in 1696, was of Scotch descent, and at the...
Another 96 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barkle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barkle family to Ireland

Some of the Barkle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barkle migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barkle Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Miss Annie Barkle, (b. 1873), aged 32, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Elm River, Michigan, USA 4
Mrs. Ethel Barkle, (b. 1882), aged 23, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Vulcan, Michigan, USA 4
Mr. Richard T. Barkle, (b. 1882), aged 23, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Vulcan, Michigan, USA 4

Barkle 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:

Barkle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Barkle, (b. 1845), aged 29, Cornish miner departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 5
Miss Lydia Barkle, (b. 1872), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 5
Mrs. Maria Barkle, (b. 1845), aged 29, Cornish settler departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 5
Miss Mary Barkle, (b. 1865), aged 9, Cornish settler departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 5
Miss Rosina Barkle, (b. 1871), aged 3, Cornish settler departing on 29th August 1874 aboard the ship "Pleiades" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 16th December 1874 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Barkle 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: Crux salutem confert
Motto Translation: The cross brings salvation

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf