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Byran is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Byran family lived in Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. As a Norman name, they claim descent from Beuron, near Mantes, Normandy, where the family lived prior to coming to England with the Norman invasion. 1
The name literally means "descendant of Byron (from the cottage); one who came from Byram (tumulus or cowshed), in Yorkshire." 2
The surname Byran was first found in Yorkshire where "the poet's ancestors were of unquestioned Norman origin. Ernisius (Erneis) de Burun held 32 lordships in Yorkshire, and Ralph de Burun, 13 in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, at the compilation of Domesday [Book]." 3 4
At about the same time, "Ralph de Biron held a barony in Notts and Derby, and had his castle in the latter county. How they were related to each other is not positively known, but they were probably brothers ; and it is from Ralph that the Barons Byron descend. His posterity remained seated at Horestan Castle for three generations, till Robert de Biron married the heiress of Clayton, and they removed (moved) into Lancashire." 5
"The Byrons belong to a very ancient and distinguished family of Nottingham, ennobled by James I.; and, as we also learn from Deering, Sir John Byron was constable of Nottingham castle in the reign of Henry VIII. Byron is still a Nottingham name." 6
Delving more into Nottinghamshire records, we found at Hucknall-Torkard, "the church is an ancient edifice, containing several monuments to different members of the Byron family, lords of Newstead Abbey, about two miles distant. Here lie the remains of the late celebrated poet, who was interred here, on the 16th of July, 1824, in the family vault: in the chancel is a neat mural monument, with an appropriate inscription. There is also a monument to his ancestor, Richard, Lord Byron, who, with seven brothers, faithfully served Charles I. during the civil war, and sustained great losses and hardships on account of loyalty to that monarch." 7
Back in Yorkshire, "this surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Byram,' a township in the parish of Brotherton, Yorkshire, formerly Byrom." 8
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Roger de Birun, Yorkshire; Ralph de Birun, Lincolnshire; and Hugh de Byron, Nottinghamshire, while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1397 listed Johannes de Byrom; Elena de Byron (Byrom); Roger de Birne (Monk Fryston); and Thomas de Byrne (Selby.) 8
The family could have claimed decent from "the parish of Winwick, Lancashire. All the Lancashire Byroms hail from this spot. " 8 Again in Lancashire, but at Woolstone, with Martinscroft, a township, in the parish and union of Warrington, hundred of West Derby, we found: "in the 20th of Edward I., John Byrun claimed free warren here in right of his wife Alesia, heiress of Robert Banastre." 7
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Byran research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1324, 1488, 1498, 1501, 1503, 1523, 1524, 1526, 1527, 1528, 1540, 1542, 1543, 1551, 1552, 1576, 1600, 1606, 1636, 1643, 1645, 1679, 1695, 1788, 1812, 1824 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Byran History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Biron, Byron and others.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Nicolas Byron, knighted by Arthur, Prince of Wales on his marriage, 14 November 1501 but died in 1503; Sir John Byron (c.1488-1576), an English knight from Colwick in Nottinghamshire, Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire 1523-1524, 1527-1528, 1542-1543 and 1551-1552...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Byran Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Byran or a variant listed above: