Berkeley History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsAlthough 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 Berkeley 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 Berkeley familyThe surname Berkeley 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 Berkeley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berkeley 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 Berkeley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Berkeley Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Berkeley, Barkley, Barklay, Barckley, Barclay and many more. Early Notables of the Berkeley familyDistinguished 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... Berkeley RankingIn the United States, the name Berkeley is the 14,986th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [4] Migration of the Berkeley family to IrelandSome of the Berkeley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Berkeley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Berkeley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Berkeley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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: Berkeley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
HMS Halsted
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
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