Berry History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
  Ireland 


The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Berry family lived in the county of Devon, where the family settled after arriving in England with William the Conqueror at the time of the Norman Conquest of England. The name is derived from the phrase at the Bury which has evolved to the more modern term borough.

Early Origins of the Berry family

The surname Berry was first found in Devon, in the parish of Berry-Pomeroy and before that Berry or Berri was the appellation of one of the old provinces of France. 1 2 Another source notes "scattered disconnectedly over England. It is most numerous in Lancashire, and afterwards in the counties of Northampton, Warwick, and Devon. Probably it is usually derived from places, Berry being the name of a Devonshire parish, whilst Bury is the name of towns and localities in Lancashire, Suffolk, etc." 3

Early History of the Berry family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berry research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1635, 1636, 1675, 1690, 1691, 1781, 1873 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Berry History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berry 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 Berry, Bery, Berey, De Berry and others.

Early Notables of the Berry family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Berry World Ranking

In the United States, the name Berry is the 168th most popular surname with an estimated 139,272 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Berry is ranked the 524th most popular surname with an estimated 9,350 people with that name. 5 And in France, the name Berry is the 955th popular surname with an estimated 5,485 people with that name. 6 Australia ranks Berry as 206th with 16,133 people. 7 New Zealand ranks Berry as 222nd with 2,575 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Berry as 167th with 32,292 people. 9

Migration of the Berry family to Ireland

Some of the Berry family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Berry migration to the United States +

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 Berry or a variant listed above:

Berry Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Berry Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Berry Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Berry migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Berry Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Berry Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Berry migration to Australia +

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

Berry Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Berry Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Berry migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Berry Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Berry (post 1700) +


The Berry 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: Nihil sine labore
Motto Translation: Nothing without labour.


Suggested Readings for the name Berry +
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