Berny History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Berny family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Norfolk, where they were established since the early Middle Ages. The family's name, however, derives from their former place of residence, the town of Bernai, in the department of Eure, Normandy. The popularity of this given name among Normans in the centuries immediately following the Norman Conquest of 1066 was greatly increased by virtue of its having been borne by St. Bernard of Clairvaux (c.1090-1153) founder and abbott of a monastery at Clairvaux.

Early Origins of the Berny family

The surname Berny was first found in Norfolk, where they claim descent from Berney, in the hundred of North Greenhow. The local has been lost through the years, but the family held a family seat at Park Hall in the parish of Reedham. "The baronet's family are asserted to have been at Berney, near Walsingham, co, Norfolk at the time of the Norman Conquest a great improbability, although their very early settlement there cannot be questioned." 1 What we have confirmed is the family seat was "acquired by the marriage of Sir Thomas de Berney with Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir William de Reedham in the reign of Edward III. " 2

Early History of the Berny family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berny research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1622, 1668, 1688, 1693, 1706 and 1710 are included under the topic Early Berny History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berny Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Berny were recorded, including Berney, Berny, Bernay, Bernays, Bernys, Burney and others.

Early Notables of the Berny family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Berny Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Berny family to Ireland

Some of the Berny 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.

Berny migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Berny arrived in North America very early:

Berny Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Clough Berny who settled in Virginia in 1635

Berny Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

M Berny, aged 49, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Berny (post 1700) +

Berny Ulloa Morera (b. 1950), Costa Rican retired football referee

The Berny 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: Nil temere, neque timore
Motto Translation: Nothing rashly.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
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)