Byrt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Byrt arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Byrt comes from the Norman personal name and was originally spelled Berte. That name is derived from the word berht, which means light. Hence the name could have been a nickname for someone who was "bright, clear or splendid" having derived from the Anglo Saxon word "beorht." 1

Early Origins of the Byrt family

The surname Byrt was first found in Norfolk where Thomas de Burt and Hamo Burt were first listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls also listed Ralph Burte in Leicestershire and Roger Burt in Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Byrt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Byrt research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Byrt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Byrt Spelling Variations

Endless 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 Burt, Burte, Birt, Burts, Berte, Burte, Birte and many more.

Early Notables of the Byrt family

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

Migration of the Byrt family to Ireland

Some of the Byrt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Byrt migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Byrt Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Francis Byrt, (b. 1825), aged 21, English farm labourer who was convicted in Somerset, England for 15 years for burglary, transported aboard the "China" on 40th January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia, he was murdered in 1851 3
Michael Byrt, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Australia"
Eliza Byrt, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Australia"

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china