Barnacal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Barnacal is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in Warwickshire, where they took their name from the hamlet of Barnacle in the parish of Bulkington, six miles from Coventry. 1

Early Origins of the Barnacal family

The surname Barnacal was first found in Warwickshire at Barnacle, a hamlet, in the parish of Bulkington, union of Nuneaton, Kirby division of the hundred of Knightlow. 2 "It is mentioned in the Conqueror's survey, and is supposed to have anciently belonged to the family of Fitzwith." 2 At that time it was spelt Bernhangre. 3 The place name literally means "wooded slope by a barn," from the Old English words "bere-aern" + "hangra." 4

Early History of the Barnacal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnacal research. Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1344, 1500 and 1545 are included under the topic Early Barnacal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnacal Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Barnacal family name include Barnacle, Barnicle, Bernicle, Barnackle, Barnackell, Barnaucle and many more.

Early Notables of the Barnacal family

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

Migration of the Barnacal family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Barnacal surname or a spelling variation of the name include : John Barnacle who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1772.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)