Show ContentsBertil History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bertil is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in Suffolk, where the family could be found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Bertil family

The surname Bertil 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

The parish of Birdsall in the union of Malton, wapentake of Buckrose in the East Riding of Yorkshire 3 could have been another possible origin point for the family. This parish also dates back to the Domesday Book when it was recorded as Brideshala 1 and meant "nook of land of a man called Bridd." 2

West Yorkshire is where we found the first entry for the family. Here at Kirkstall, now a suburb of Leeds, William de Briddesale was recorded as holding lands in 1167. Years later, we found Robert de Brideshal in the Assize Rolls for Yorkshire in 1251 and later again, Thomas Birdsall was listed as a Freeman of York in 1446. 4

Robert de Bridsall was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

Early History of the Bertil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bertil research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1206, 1230, 1273, 1316, 1655, 1769 and 1877 are included under the topic Early Bertil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bertil Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Bertil has been spelled many different ways, including Burstall, Burstal, Burstalle, Birstall, Birkestalle, Berstall, Byrstall, Burstow, Burstoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bertil family

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

Migration of the Bertil family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bertils to arrive in North America: Mary Harvey Bearsly, who came to Massachusetts in 1635; Joseph Bearsly, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1635; Agnes Kempe Birdsall, who settled in Boston in 1635.


Contemporary Notables of the name Bertil (post 1700) +

  • Holger Bertil Sundström (1925-2023), Swedish bronze medalist sailor in the Star class at the 1964 Summer Olympics
  • Sven Bertil Erlander (1934-2021), Swedish mathematician, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics (Optimisation) at Linköping University in Sweden
  • Bengt Bertil Blomgren (b. 1923), Swedish actor, film director and screenwriter
  • Axel Bertil Bolin (b. 1923), Swedish lawyer and international official
  • Bertil Hille (b. 1940), American professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the University of Washington
  • Bertil Roos (1943-2016), Swedish racing driver from Gothenburg
  • Bertil Hult (b. 1941), Swedish business man, founder of EF Education First in 1965, namesake owner of Hult International Business School, New England
  • Bertil Nordahl (1917-1998), Swedish footballer and football manager
  • Bertil Edgar Gaertner (1924-2009), Swedish Lutheran bishop of Gothenburg
  • Bertil Robert Herman Haase (b. 1923), former Swedish modern pentathlete


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook