Barnslie is a name that was carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Barnslie family lived in Worcestershire and Yorkshire, where they held an ancient seat and estates.
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Early Origins of the Barnslie family
The surname Barnslie 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 Barnslie family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnslie research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1550 is included under the topic Early Barnslie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Barnslie Spelling Variations
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Barnslie include Barnsley, Barnsely, Barnseley, Barnsly and others.
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Early Notables of the Barnslie family
More information is included under the topic Early Barnslie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Barnslie family
In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Barnslies to arrive on North American shores: Richard Barnssley and his wife who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766.
England
