The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Barnsely family name to the British Isles. They lived in Worcestershire and Yorkshire, where they held an ancient seat and estates.
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Early Origins of the Barnsely family
The surname Barnsely was first found in Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire at Barnsley. Of the locales, the town in Yorkshire is by far the larger originating in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. This town dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Berneslai. However, the Gloucestershire parish which was originally part of historic Lancashire dates back further to 802 when it was listed as Bearmodeslea. It too was listed in the Domesday Book but had a different spelling of Bernesleis. Both locales were derived from the Old English personal name + "leah" and literally meant "woodland clearing of a man called Beornmod (Beorn)." 1 The family is conjecturally descended from a Norman noble Ilbert de Lacy who settled in the village of Barnsley in the West Riding of Yorkshire at the time of the Norman Conquest. Ilbert was Lord of the Manor of Barnsley.
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Early History of the Barnsely family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnsely research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1550 is included under the topic Early Barnsely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Barnsely 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 Barnsley, Barnsely, Barnseley, Barnsly and others.
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Early Notables of the Barnsely family
More information is included under the topic Early Barnsely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Barnsely 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 Barnsely or a variant listed above: Richard Barnssley and his wife who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766.
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