Show ContentsBarnsdale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Barnsdale

What does the name Barnsdale mean?

The ancient history of the Barnsdale name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided at or near the granary or barn in the valley. The first part of the surname Barnsdale is derived from the Old English word barn, which refers to a barn or granary house. The word barn itself was originally derived from the Old English words bern, which mean barley, and oern, which means house. The last portion of the name is derived from the Old English word doel, which means valley or dale.

Early Origins of the Barnsdale family

The surname Barnsdale was first found in Yorkshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Barnsdale family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnsdale research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1530, 1540, 1545, 1550, 1551, 1554, 1556, 1568, 1608 and 1637 are included under the topic Early Barnsdale History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barnsdale Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Barnsdale include Barnsdale, Barnesdale, Barndale and others.

Early Notables of the Barnsdale family

Notables of the family at this time include William Baronsdale (d. 1608), English physician, was born in Gloucestershire, probably about 1530-1540. "He was educated at St. John's College...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barnsdale Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Barnsdale migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Barnsdale or a variant listed above:

Barnsdale Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Christopher Barnsdale who settled in Virginia in 1642

Contemporary Notables of the name Barnsdale (post 1700) +

  • William Barnsdale, American politician, Mayor of Titusville, Pennsylvania, 1878-80 1


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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