The ancestors of the name Birley date back to the days of the
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence
in the fort by the wood having derived from the Old English
burhleah.Early Origins of the Birley family
The surname Birley was first found in
Somerset where Burley Castle where a motte and bailey castle of the late 11th or early 12th century remains to this day. The village and civil parish Burley, or Burley-on-the-Hill, is located two miles north-east of Oakham in Rutland. Burleigh Castle is located near the village of Milnathort, in Perth and Kinross,
Scotland and dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. It was held by the Balfours from 1446. Burleigh is also a village in Berkshire,
England, within the civil parish of Warfield.
Early History of the Birley family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birley research.
Another 381 words (27 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1275, 1344, 1301, 1305, 1437, 1409, 1336, 1388, 1384, 1388, 1388, 1485 and 1510 are included under the topic Early Birley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Birley Spelling Variations
Birley has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few
hundred years,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Birley have been found, including Burley, Burleigh, Burlie, Burrley, Burrlie, Burrleigh, Burly, Bourley, Bourleigh, Bourly, Berly and many more.
Early Notables of the Birley family (pre 1700)
Distinguished members of the family include Walter Burley (or Burleigh), (c.1275-1344), a medieval English logician, master of Arts at Oxford in 1301, and a fellow of Merton College, Oxford until 1305; William Burley, Speaker of the House of Commons of
England in March 1437; and John Burley, Sheriff of county Salop...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Birley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Birley family to Ireland
Some of the Birley family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 81 words (6 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 Birley family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Birley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Charles Birley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glen Huntley" in 1849 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The GLEN HUNTLEY 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849GlenHuntly.htm
Birley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- John Birley, aged 33, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874
- Elizabeth Birley, aged 29, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874
- Elizabeth Birley, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874
- Frank Birley, aged 2 mths, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874
Contemporary Notables of the name Birley (post 1700)
- Mathew Birley (b. 1986), English professional footballer
- Derek Birley (1926-2002), English educator and writer
- Anthony Birley (b. 1937), Professor of Ancient History at University of Manchester (1974-90)
- Sir Robert Birley (1903-1982), English educationist and scholar
- Oswald Birley (1880-1952), British portrait painter
- Francis Birley (1850-1910), England international footballer
- Eric Birley (1906-1995), British historian and archaeologist
- Andrew Birley (b. 1974), British archaeologist