Berwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Ireland

Etymology of Berwell

Berwell is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Berwell family lived in Leicestershire in the midlands of England. A parish in this area bears the name Barwellwith a population today of about 6,300. The family derives their name from this location. The name Barwell is composed of the Old English elements bar, meaning wild boar, and well, which means well or stream.

Early Origins of the Berwell family

Early History of the Berwell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berwell research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1639 and 1912 are included under the topic Early Berwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berwell 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 Barwell, Barwick, Berwell, Barwel, Berwel, Berwelle and many more.

Early Notables of the Berwell family

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

Migration of the Berwell family to Ireland

Some of the Berwell 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 Berwell 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 Berwell or a variant listed above: John Barwell who settled in New England in 1678; Elizabeth Barwell settled in Maryland in 1774; William Barwell arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1833.