Birkinshaw History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Early Origins of the Birkinshaw family

The surname Birkinshaw was first found in Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Birkinshaw family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birkinshaw research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1529 is included under the topic Early Birkinshaw History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birkinshaw Spelling Variations

In Medieval times, spelling and translation were not nearly so highly developed as today. They were generally carried out according to the sound and intuition of the bearer. For that reason spelling variations are extremely common among early Scottish names. Birkinshaw has been spelled Birkenshaw, Birkinshaw, Birkshaw, Burdenshaw and others.

Early Notables of the Birkinshaw family

More information is included under the topic Early Birkinshaw Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Birkinshaw family to Ireland

Some of the Birkinshaw family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Birkinshaw family

Unrest, poverty, and persecution caused thousands to look for opportunity and freedom in the North American colonies. The crossing was long, overcrowded, and unsanitary, though, and came only at great expense. Many Strathclyde families settled on the east coast of North America in communities that would form the backbone of what would become the great nations of the United States and Canada. The American War of Independence caused those who remained loyal to England to move north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In the 20th century, Strathclyde and other Scottish families across North America began to recover their collective heritage through highland games and Clan societies. Among them: Richard Burchenshaw settled in Virginia in 1642.

Contemporary Notables of the name Birkinshaw (post 1700) +

Julian Birkinshaw FBA, FAcSS (b. 1964), British academic, Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the London Business School
James Alexander Birkinshaw (b. 1980), British former professional motorcycle speedway rider from Sheffield, England
John Birkinshaw (1777-1842), English railway engineer and inventor from Bedlington, Northumberland, known for his invention of wrought iron rails in 1820 (patented on October 23, 1820)
Stephen Birkinshaw (b. 1968), English fell runner and hydrologist who held the record for the fastest run round the 214 Wainwright summits, at 6 days 13 hours
Alan Birkinshaw (b. 1944), New Zealand-born, British film director, writer, and television and film producer
Professor John Howard Birkinshaw D.Sc. FRIC,, retired Professor of Biochemistry
Air Commodore George William Birkinshaw CB, Freeman of London
Mark Birkinshaw (1954-2023), British physicist who held the William P. Coldrick chair in Cosmology and Astrophysics at the University of Bristol, the first to detect the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect
Mr. D. C. Birkinshaw, British Councillor, held the position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1983 to 1984
Patrick Birkinshaw, English lawyer and law professor at Hull U. (1990-), director of the Institute of European Public Law