Show ContentsBrickdile History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Brickdile comes from the family having resided 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 Brickdile family

The surname Brickdile 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 Brickdile family

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

Brickdile Spelling Variations

Brickdile has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Brickdale, Birkdale and others.

Early Notables of the Brickdile 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 Brickdile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brickdile family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Brickdiles to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Brickdale who settled in Massachusetts in 1634.



The Brickdile 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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