Balbirnie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Balbirnie

What does the name Balbirnie mean?

A family in the Pictish tribe of ancient Scotland was the first to use the name Balbirnie. They lived in the lands of Balbirnie in Fife. The name is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties.

Early Origins of the Balbirnie family

The surname Balbirnie was first found in Fife, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Balbirnie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balbirnie research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1483, 1508, 1622 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Balbirnie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balbirnie Spelling Variations

In medieval Scotland, names were more often spelled according to sound than any regular set of rules. An enormous number of spelling variations were the result. Over the years, the name Balbirnie has been spelled Balbirnie, Balbirney, Ballbirnie, Ballbirney, Ballbyrnie, Bawbyrny, Baldbernie and many more.

Early Notables of the Balbirnie family

Balbirnie of Balbirnie

Migration of the Balbirnie family to Ireland

Some of the Balbirnie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balbirnie migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, Ireland, Australia, and North America looked like better homes for many Scots. The trips were expensive and grueling, but also rewarding, as the colonies were havens for those unwelcome in the old country. That legacy did not die easily, though, and many were forced to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. The Scottish legacy has resurface in more recent times, though, through Clan societies, highland games, and other organizations. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the old Scottish name of Balbirnie:

Balbirnie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Balbirnie who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1827 and then moved westward

Balbirnie migration to Australia +

Balbirnie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Lewis Balbirnie, (b. 1804), aged 15, English labourer who was convicted in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Balbirnie (post 1700) +

James Balbirnie, American Republican politician, Mayor of Muskegon, Michigan; Elected 1899 2
Andrew Balbirnie (b. 1990), Irish right-handed batsman cricketer, born in Dublin

Sources +

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html