Barneis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Barneis family name dates back to 1066 when the Norman Conquest of England introduced a plethora of new names and words into Britain. It comes from an early member of the family who was a small child. The surname springs from the middle English bairn, of the same meaning. 1 2

Early Origins of the Barneis family

The surname Barneis was first found in Surrey at Barnes, a parish, in the union of Richmond, W. division of the hundred of Brixton. 3 This parish was originally listed as Berne 4 in the Domesday Book of 1086.

According to the Saxon Chronicle, Siward Barn was the patriot rebel against William the Conqueror. 5 After that early listing, one of the first records of the name was found in Surrey as Philip de Bernes. 6

Other early records include: Henry de le Berne in Norfolk; Richard de la Berne in Kent; and William de la Berne in Dorset, all listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 1 William Bernes was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1380 and Joan Barnes was also listed in Cheshire in 1450. 6

Early Scottish sources revealed that the name was from "Barnes in the parish of Premnay, Aberdeenshire" 7 where the first record was found in the 15th century as Robert of Bernis, a goldsmith in 1465. 7

Early History of the Barneis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barneis research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1300, 1495, 1532, 1540, 1569, 1587, 1609, 1627, 1654, 1661, 1675, 1710, 1712 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Barneis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barneis Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Barnes, Barns, Barnis, Bernys, Barness and others.

Early Notables of the Barneis family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Barnes (1495-1540), English Protestant divine and martyr, a Norfolk man, born in the neighbourhood of Lynn. "Barnes and his two companions, as heretics, were committed to the flames." 8 Richard Barnes (1532-1587), Bishop of Durham, born at Bould, near Warrington, in Lancashire, son of John Barnes and Agnes Saunderson, his wife. His son, Barnabe Barnes (1569?-1609), English poet, born in Yorkshire...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barneis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Barneis family to Ireland

Some of the Barneis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 74 words (5 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 Barneis family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Barneis or a variant listed above: Robert Barnes, who came to Virginia in 1608; Barnaby Barnes who settled in Virginia in 1635. Also settling in Virginia were, Charles Barnes in 1653; Dorothy Barnes in 1653.

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)
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print