Burnly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Burnly dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in Lancashire, where they derived their name from the town of Burnley, in the parish of Whalley. The name is generally believed to be derived from "Brun Lea" meaning "meadow by the River Brun." 1

Early Origins of the Burnly family

The surname Burnly was first found in Lancashire, where Burnley dates back to 1122, when a charter granted the church of Burnley to the monks of Pontefract Abbey. The Market Cross, erected in 1295 survives today at Burnley College.

Early History of the Burnly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burnly research. Another 229 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1500, 1662, 1691 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Burnly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burnly Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Burnly have been found, including Burnley, Brunlay, Burnlie, Burnly, Bernley and others.

Early Notables of the Burnly family

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

Migration of the Burnly family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Burnly, or a variant listed above: Peter Burnley who arrived in Maryland in 1685 and John Burnley who arrived in Philadelphia in 1846.

The Burnly 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: Pretiumque et causa laboria
Motto Translation: The reward and cause of labour.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)