Bermar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Bermar is rooted in the ancient Norman culture that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was a name for someone who was a small child. The surname springs from the middle English bairn, of the same meaning. 1 2

Early Origins of the Bermar family

The surname Bermar 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 Bermar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bermar 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 Bermar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bermar Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Barnes, Barns, Barnis, Bernys, Barness and others.

Early Notables of the Bermar 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 Bermar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bermar family to Ireland

Some of the Bermar 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 Bermar family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bermar 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