Show ContentsBurnerde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Strongbownian invaders added their Norman conventions for surnames to the previously established Irish system for hereditary surnames. One of the most frequent forms of surnames for both cultures was the patronymic surname, which was formed from the name of the bearer's father or grandfather. The Norman tradition that the followers of Strongbow brought with them created such a surname through diminutive suffixes such as -ot, -et, -un, -in, or -el. Occasionally, two suffixes were combined to form a double diminutive, as in the combinations of -el-in, -el-ot, -in-ot, and -et-in. The Normans also formed patronymic surnames in a manner very similar to the Irish: they added a prefix to their father's name. These Anglo-Norman people, however, used the prefix Fitz-, which was derived from the French word fils, and ultimately from the Latin filius, which both mean son. Although this prefix probably originated in Flanders or Normandy, it can now only be found in Ireland. The surname Burnerde is derived from the Germanic personal name Bernhard, which consists of the elements ber or bern, which mean bear, and hard, which means brave, handy, or strong.

Early Origins of the Burnerde family

The surname Burnerde was first found in Westmorland, where they had been granted lands by King William for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Sir Theophilus, a Norman knight, who assisted William the Conqueror in the conquest of England was succeeded by his son, Sir Dorbard, who took the surname Bernard. Sir Dorbard's descendants settled at Acornbank in the county of Westmorland, but stayed in good favor with the royalty. In 1172 King Henry II took Robert Fitz Bernard with him to Ireland, in the invasion of Ireland, and entrusted to his care the counties of Wexford and Waterford.

Fulk Baynard (fl. 1226), was an early Itinerant Justice, seated at Merton, Norfolk, and was specially constituted a justice for a single occasion in November 1226. 1

Robert Baynard (d. 1331), son of Fulk Baynard, was a judge and was elected knight of the shire for Norfolk several times between 1289 and 1327. 1

Early History of the Burnerde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burnerde research. Another 268 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1115, 1148, 1320, 1641, 1672, 1683, 1685, 1693, 1697, 1702, 1738, 1764, 1768 and 1903 are included under the topic Early Burnerde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burnerde Spelling Variations

A single person's name was often spelt simply as it sounded by medieval scribes and church officials. An investigation into the specific origins the name Burnerde has revealed that such a practice has resulted in many spelling variations over the years. A few of its variants include: Bernard, Barnard, Bernyrd, Barnerd, Barnart, Barnert, Barnarde and many more.

Early Notables of the Burnerde family

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Ann Baynard (1672-1697), a British natural philosopher and model of piety. John Barnard (fl. 1641), was an English musician, of whose life nothing else is known and was a minor canon of St. Paul's in the reign of Charles I. "He was the first who made a collection of cathedral music, and it is through his most valuable collection that some of the finest specimens of the English school of the sixteenth century have been preserved. " 1 John Barnard or...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burnerde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burnerde family

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name Burnerde: Nathanill Bernard, who arrived in St. Christopher in 1635; Francis Bernard, who came to Virginia in 1665; James Bernard, a servant sent to Virginia in 1662.



The Burnerde 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: Virtus probata florebit
Motto Translation: Tried virtue will flourish.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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