Birkshire History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Birkshire

The name Birkshire is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Berkshire, Wiltshire, and Yorkshire. The name was originally rendered in the Old English form Berrocsire, which was originally derived from the town so named, and later evolved into its more modern form. It is of ancient Celtic derivation, coming from the elements berro, meaning hilly, and scir, meaning district.

Early Origins of the Birkshire family

Early History of the Birkshire family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birkshire research. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1249, 1317 and 1525 are included under the topic Early Birkshire History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birkshire Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Birkshire are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Birkshire include: Berkshire, Burkshire, Birkshire, Berkshir and others.

Early Notables of the Birkshire family

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

Migration of the Birkshire family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Birkshire or a variant listed above: members of this family who migrated to Newfoundland including William Birkshire who was registered in 1871.