Birdseye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Birdseye

What does the name Birdseye mean?

The name Birdseye literally means "the islet or eyot in the stream frequented by birds." 1 Another source has a similar etymology meaning "dweller at the Bird’s Island or Low Riparian Land." 2

Early Origins of the Birdseye family

The surname Birdseye was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that county.

Early History of the Birdseye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birdseye research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1076, 1084, 1135, 1196, 1406, 1510, 1562, 1600, 1652, 1665, 1675, 1687, 1753, 1886 and 1956 are included under the topic Early Birdseye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birdseye Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Birdseye has been recorded under many different variations, including Birsty, Bursty, Berstie, Bersty, Berstie, Birchensty, Burchensty, Berchensty, Birchenstey, Birchsty, Burchsty, Berchsty, Berdsey, Berdesly, Birdseye and many more.

Early Notables of the Birdseye family

Clarence Birdseye (1886-1956), an American inventor, entrepreneur, and naturalist, considered the founder of the modern frozen food industry...

Birdseye migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Birdseye or a variant listed above:

Birdseye Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

C G Birdseye, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 3

Birdseye migration to Australia +

Birdseye Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Cornelius Birdseye, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "Lady Mary Pelham" in 1836 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Birdseye (post 1700) +

Clarence Birdseye (1886-1956), American inventor who is considered the founder of the modern frozen food industry
James Birdseye McPherson (1828-1864), American general of the Union Army during the American Civil War
Birdseye Brooks, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Ontario County, 1821-23 5

Sources +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY MARY PELHAM 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836LadyMaryPelham.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html