Birchell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Birchell

What does the name Birchell mean?

The ancient history of the Birchell name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in either the settlement of Birtle in the county of Lancashire or the settlement of Birtles in the county of Cheshire. The names of these places are derived from the Old English word bridd, meaning young bird or nestling, and indicates that the places were originally known as nesting grounds for birds.

Early Origins of the Birchell family

The surname Birchell was first found in Cheshire at Birtles, a township, in the parish of Prestbury, union and hundred of Macclesfield. "Birtles Hall and demesne belonged for many generations to the Birtles family." 1

Early History of the Birchell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birchell research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1602 is included under the topic Early Birchell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birchell 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 Birchell include Birtles, Byrtles, Birchell, Birchells and others.

Early Notables of the Birchell family

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

Migration of the Birchell family to Ireland

Some of the Birchell 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.

Birchell migration to the United States +

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 Birchell or a variant listed above:

Birchell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

William Birchell who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1880

Sources +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.