Show ContentsBikerstaffe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Bikerstaffe name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in or near the village of Bickerstaffe, which was located near Ormskirk in the county of Lancashire. "In 1066 Bickerstaffe, under the name of Achetun, was one of the manors of Uctred, lord of Roby." [1]

One of the first records of the family was Adam de Bickerstath whose son Ralph, held manor in 1212. "Adam de Bickerstath's name frequently appears in charters and other public acts of the time." [1] Adam de Bykerstaff was listed in Lancashire in 1289. [2] Alan de Birkestad de Bikerstath was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1246. [3]

Early Origins of the Bikerstaffe family

The surname Bikerstaffe was first found in Lancashire, at Bickerstaffe, a village and civil parish in the West Lancashire district. The village dates back to at least the 12th century when it was listed as Bikerstad and literally meant "landing place of the bee-keepers" from the Old English words bicere + staeth. [4]

However, another reference claims the name came from the Old English word "bicker," meaning to skirmish or contend, as in bicker-staff, a weapon analogous to a quarter-staff. [5] This latter interpretation only occurs once through our research library and is mentioned here for reference purposes only as the former interpretation is more likely.

Early History of the Bikerstaffe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bikerstaffe research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1580, 1600, 1639, 1660, 1685, 1713, 1714, 1752 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bikerstaffe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bikerstaffe Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bikerstaffe include Bickerstaffe, Bickerstaff, Bickerstath, Bickerstathe, Bickersteth and many more.

Early Notables of the Bikerstaffe family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bikerstaffe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Bikerstaffe family to Ireland

Some of the Bikerstaffe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 147 words (10 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 Bikerstaffe family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bikerstaffe or a variant listed above: Sarah Bickerstaff who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682.



  1. 'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
  2. Baines Thomas & William Fairbairn, Lancashire and Cheshire, Past and Present History of Counties London: William MacKenzie, 1867, Digital, 4 vols
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.


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