Burds History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Burds comes from a name for a person who worked as a bird catcher or someone who had birdlike characteristics. 1

Early Origins of the Burds family

The surname Burds was first found in Cheshire at Broxton, a township, in the parish of Malpas, union of Great Boughton, Higher division of the hundred of Broxton. 2

"Its principal home is in the east of England, south of the Wash, especially in Norfolk. It is scattered about the midland counties, and is also represented in Somerset and Dorset. In other parts of England it is absent or rare, but in the county of Worcester its absence is supplied by Byrd." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: David le Brid, Oxfordshire; John le Brid, Oxfordshire; Stefan Brid, Suffolk; and Geoffrey Bryd, Salop (Shropshire.) 4

Over in Somerset, Henry le Brid, was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes Bridde as holding lands there at that time. 4

Further to the north in Scotland, William Bird was admitted burgess of Aberdeen in 1443. 6

Early History of the Burds family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burds research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1538, 1540, 1543, 1554, 1558, 1563, 1569, 1608, 1623, 1634, 1652, 1663, 1667, 1669, 1674, 1684, 1704, 1744 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Burds History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burds Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Burds include Bird, Byrd, Byrde and others.

Early Notables of the Burds family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Theophilus Bird, or Bourne, (1608-1663) an English actor; John Bird (died 1558), who was an English Carmelite monk and bishop.William Byrd (1540-1623), was an English composer who was supposed to have been the son of Thomas Byrd, a gentleman in the Chapel Royal under Edward VI and Mary. 7 "The precise date of his birth is unknown, but the fact of his having been senior chorister of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1554, would...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burds Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burds family to Ireland

Some of the Burds family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burds family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Burds or a variant listed above: Alice Bird who settled in Virginia in 1652; Richard Bird settled in Virginia in 1635; John Bird settled in Barbados in 1663; Susan Bird who settled in Virginia in 1642.

The Burds 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: Cruce spes mea
Motto Translation: My hope is in the cross.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print