Birnigham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Birnigham date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in or around the city of Birmingham in Warwickshire. This place-name predates the Domesday Book and is thought by historians to have evolved from the Old English Beornmundingaham, meaning, homestead of the people of Beornmund. 1

Another source claims that the place name's "etymology is involved in great uncertainty. Dugdale, from its Saxon termination, deduces it from the first Saxon lord; while others assign to it an origin of much higher antiquity, inferring that, with more probability, the first Saxon proprietor took his name from that of the town, which they suppose to have been originally 'Bromwych,' from the quantity of broom formerly growing in the neighbourhood". 2

Early Origins of the Birnigham family

The surname Birnigham was first found in Warwickshire. While the family is generally understood to have hailed from this area, we must look to Staffordshire to find the first record of the name, specifically Peter de Bremingeham who was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1170. Gilbert de Birmingeham was listed in the Feet of Fines for Lincolnshire in 1271 and John de Burmyngham was listed in Warwickshire in 1333. 3

The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Bermingeham. 4 The family is just as populous in Ireland as "the noble and warlike family of the Bremichams, earls of Louth, in Ireland were instrumental in assisting Strongbow, Earl of Pembroke, in the conquest of that country. " 2

Sir John Bermingham Earl of Louth (d. 1328), was the second son of Piers or Peter, third Lord of Athenry. "In 1312 he was knighted by Mortimer, the viceroy, for assisting to expel the De Lacys from Meath. In 1318 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the English forces in Ireland, and marched north with about 1,600 men against Edward Bruce."

Little Barningham in Norfolk was an ancient family seat. "A charter for a market and a fair was granted by Edward I. to Walter de Berningham, who at that time possessed the manor." 2

William de Bermingham, who attended Edward I. into Gascony, was made prisoner at the siege of Bellegarde in 1297 and his descendant William, who was summoned to parliament by the title of William, Lord Birmingham, in the 1st of Edward III.

Richard de Berningham (fl. 1313), was a Justice Itinerant. "There were two families of this name in the reign of Edward II, one in Yorkshire and the other in Norfolk. Both contained a Richard de Berningham, the former a son of John de Berningham, the latter of Walter de Berningham, lord of the manor of Hanteyns Barnham, Norfolk. " 5

Early History of the Birnigham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birnigham research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1050, 1170, 1289, 1311, 1328, 1420, 1483, 1490, 1513, 1515, 1532, 1584, 1685, 1750 and 1992 are included under the topic Early Birnigham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birnigham Spelling Variations

Birnigham 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 Birnigham have been found, including Bermingham, Berminean, Bermingcham, Berminham, Bremingham, Birmingham and many more.

Early Notables of the Birnigham family

Distinguished members of the family include Philip Bermingham (c.1420-1490) an Irish judge who held the office of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He was regarded as "the most learned Irish lawyer of his time", but he had...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Birnigham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Birnigham family to Ireland

Some of the Birnigham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 226 words (16 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 Birnigham family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Birnighams to arrive on North American shores: James Bermingham, Martin, Michael, Richard and William, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1853 and 1878. Bridget Birmingham, Daniel, Gillespie, James, John, Margaret, Mary, Michael, Pat, Thomas, and Biddy, all arrived at the same port between 1849 and 1878..

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print