Birdie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Birdie comes from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It was a name for a person who was known for their continued use of the oath pour Dieu, which is Old French meaning "for God." This is a subset of the nickname type of name known as oath names. 1

Early Origins of the Birdie family

The surname Birdie was first found in Bedfordshire where Gilbert Purdeu was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1227. Later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 included an entry for John Purde in Cheshire and the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex had two entries for the family: John Purdew in 1296; and John Purde in 1332. These entries may be the same person, or father and son. In Norfolk, John Purdy was listed there in 1436 as was Robert Purdu in 1479. 1

The same source found Richard Parde in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1228; Robert Pardey in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; and Henry Pardeu in the Subsidy Rolls for Warwickshire in 1332. 1

Further to the north in Scotland, "John Purdie was one of an inquest in 1296 which found that Robert de Pinkeny held the tenement of Balincref, and David Perdy was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in Linton, 1376. A later David Purde, succentor of Glasgow, 1476-1477, appears again in 1491 as Prade, and in the title of his obituary in 1497 his name is given as Prowde." 2

Early History of the Birdie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birdie research. Another 177 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1525, 1569, 1585, 1743, 1754, 1764, 1770, 1776, 1779, 1783, 1814, 1820, 1823, 1858, 1880 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Birdie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birdie Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Birdie has undergone many spelling variations, including Pardy, Pardie, Pardee, Purdie, Purdew, Purdy, Purdoe, Pardoe and many more.

Early Notables of the Birdie family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Pardoe (1770-1823), English enameler who was noted for flower painting from Derby. Alexander Purdie (c. 1743- 1779), born in Scotland, emigrated to America by 1764. He became a prominent colonial American printer, publisher, and merchant in Williamsburg, Virginia where he...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Birdie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Birdie family to Ireland

Some of the Birdie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 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 Birdie family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Birdie were among those contributors: Joseph Pardy who settled in Barbados in 1634; Elizabeth Pardy settled in Virginia in 1654; Thomas Pardey who settled in Placentia, Newfoundland in 1744.

Contemporary Notables of the name Birdie (post 1700) +

Birdie Jaurer, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1920 3
Birdie Hooper Kennamer (1889-1968), American Republican politician, Member of Republican National Committee from Alabama, 1924-32 4

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html