Show ContentsBarksdil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The lineage of the name Barksdil begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in Lancashire. The name is derived from the term Brigdale which meant the bridge-valley. The prefix brig often becomes brick.

The family were originally "from Briquedale, Normandy, held by Sire Robert de Piessi, t. Philip Augustus. The English family is said to take its name from Brickdale, Lancashire, but I have been unable to ascertain the existence of such a place in England. " 1

Early Origins of the Barksdil family

The surname Barksdil was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat temp. Edward I. 2 3

Birkdale is a small township, in the parish of North Meols, union of Ormskirk, hundred of West Derby in Lancashire. "The manor, in the reign of Henry IV., was held by the Halsalls; and the Gerards of Bromley became possessed of the estate by purchase in the 17th century. " 4

Early History of the Barksdil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barksdil research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1609, 1625 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Barksdil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barksdil Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Barksdil has undergone many spelling variations, including Brickdale, Birkdale and others.

Early Notables of the Barksdil family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Brickdale of Shrewsbury; and Clement Barksdale (1609-1687) was an English author and chaplain from Winchcombe, Gloucestershire. "He entered Merton...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barksdil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barksdil family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Barksdil were among those contributors: Thomas Brickdale who settled in Massachusetts in 1634.



The Barksdil 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: Fide et fortitudine
Motto Translation: By fidelity and fortitude.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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