Burtchil History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Burtchil was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Burtchil 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 Burtchil familyThe surname Burtchil was first found in Herefordshire where literally the name means "dweller at, or on, the hill of birch trees." 2 Early History of the Burtchil familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burtchil research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1705, 1715, 1727 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Burtchil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Burtchil Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Burchall, Burchell, Burchill, Burchhell, Burtchell, Burtchill, Burtchaell and many more. Early Notables of the Burtchil 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 Burtchil family to IrelandSome of the Burtchil family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Burtchil familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Burtchil 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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