Show ContentsBurtchel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Burtchel was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Burtchel 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 Burtchel family

The surname Burtchel was first found in Herefordshire where literally the name means "dweller at, or on, the hill of birch trees." 2

Early History of the Burtchel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burtchel research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1705, 1715, 1727 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Burtchel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burtchel Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Burchall, Burchell, Burchill, Burchhell, Burtchell, Burtchill, Burtchaell and many more.

Early Notables of the Burtchel family

Outstanding 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...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burtchel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Burtchel family to Ireland

Some of the Burtchel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 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 Burtchel family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Burtchel 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..



  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. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print


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