Bearsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Bearsley comes from the family having resided in Suffolk, where the family could be found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Bearsley family

The surname Bearsley was first found in Suffolk at Burstall, a village and civil parish that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Burgestala [1] and literally meant "site of a fort or stronghold," from the Old English word "burh-stall." [2]

Early History of the Bearsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bearsley research. Another 305 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1206, 1230, 1273, 1273, 1316, 1500 and 1655 are included under the topic Early Bearsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bearsley Spelling Variations

Bearsley has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Burstall, Burstal, Burstalle, Birstall, Birkestalle, Berstall, Byrstall, Burstow, Burstoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bearsley family (pre 1700)

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

Bearsley migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bearsleys to arrive on North American shores:

Bearsley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Bearsley, who arrived in New York in 1835 [3]

Bearsley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bearsley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

William Bearsley, aged 21, a mechanic, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Berar" in 1873

Citations +

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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)