Barkleys History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Scotland
• Ireland

Etymology of Barkleys

The ancestors of the name Barkleys date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Barkleys family lived in the parish of Berkeley in the county of Gloucestershire.

"This place, according to Sir Robert Atkyns, the historian of Gloucestershire, derives its name from the Saxon Beorc, a birch-tree, and Leas, a pasture; whence it has been inferred that the parish was formerly remarkable for the growth of birch-trees. It was always a place of considerable importance; and at a very early period it gave name to the great manor of Berkeley, which during the heptarchy was held of the crown, at £500. 17. 2. per annum, by Roger de Berkeley, a near relative of Edward the Confessor, and lord of Dursley, from whom the earliest authentic pedigree of the Berkeley family is deduced. Berkeley, notwithstanding the residence of the oldest branches of the family in their castle at Dursley. William the Conqueror, professing high regard for all the relatives of Edward the Confessor, granted the manor of Berkeley to Roger Berkeley, of Dursley, by whose descendants it was held till the reign of Henry II." 1

Early Origins of the Barkleys family

Early History of the Barkleys family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barkleys research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1306, 1400, 1475, 1509, 1552, 1598, 1648, 1690, 1890 and 1924 are included under the topic Early Barkleys History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barkleys Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Barkleys are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Barkleys include: Barclay, Berkeley, Barcley, Berkely, Berkley and others.

Early Notables of the Barkleys family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barkleys Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barkleys family to Ireland

Some of the Barkleys family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barkleys family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Barkleys or a variant listed above: Thomas Barclay who settled in Maryland in 1750; Alex Barclay settled in Norfolk, Virginia in 1822; Benjamin, George, Henry, James, Moses, Thomas and William Barclay, all settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1837 and 1864.