Burchil History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsBurchil is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Burchil family lived in Berkshire from a place of that name. The name is thought to have been originally Norman where "this family, probably foreign, descends from Sir Humphry Burghill or Burchell, a companion of Bernard de Neumarché in the conquest of Brecknock, 1088. About 1150 William de Burchall was witness to a gift to Hereford Abbey; and later, David de Burchall. " 1 Early Origins of the Burchil familyThe surname Burchil was first found in Herefordshire where literally the name means "dweller at, or on, the hill of birch trees." 2 Early History of the Burchil familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burchil research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1705, 1715, 1727 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Burchil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Burchil Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Burchil are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Burchil include Burchall, Burchell, Burchill, Burchhell, Burtchell, Burtchill, Burtchaell and many more. Early Notables of the Burchil familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Eustace Budgell (1686-1737), an English writer and politician who represented Mullingar in the Irish House of Commons (1715-1727.) "He was the son of Gilbert Budgell, D.D., of St. Thomas, Exeter, by his first wife Mary, only daughter of Bishop Gulston... Migration of the Burchil family to IrelandSome of the Burchil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Burchil familyFaced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Burchil, or a variant listed above: Ann Burchell who settled in Virginia in 1655; Andrew Burchell settled in Pennsylvania in 1773; Charles Burchill settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1868 with his brother John..
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