Bermas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Bermas

What does the name Bermas mean?

The Strathclyde Briton clans of the Scottish/English Borderlands were the first to use the name Bermas. It is derived from the personal name Burnhouse, derived from the words burn, meaning "stream," and house, meaning a house.

Early Origins of the Bermas family

The surname Bermas was first found in Cumberland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Bermas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bermas research. Another 138 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1495 and 1560 are included under the topic Early Bermas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bermas Spelling Variations

The origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Bermas has been spelled Burness, Burnes, Burnace, Burnice, Burnhouse, Burnshead, Burnish, Burnist, Bernis and many more.

Early Notables of the Bermas family

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

Migration of the Bermas family to Ireland

Some of the Bermas family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bermas family

The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them: William Burnhouse settled in Virginia in 1623; Margaret Burness, who settled in East New Jersey in 1685; James Burness, who settled in America in 1815.

The Bermas Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Perseverantia vincit
Motto Translation: Perseverance conquers