Show ContentsBirninham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Birninham belongs to the early history of Britain, it's origins lie with the Anglo-Saxons. It is a product of their having lived 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 Birninham family

The surname Birninham 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 Birninham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Birninham 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 Birninham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Birninham Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Birninham include Bermingham, Berminean, Bermingcham, Berminham, Bremingham, Birmingham and many more.

Early Notables of the Birninham 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 Birninham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Birninham family to Ireland

Some of the Birninham 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 Birninham family

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Birninham were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: 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..



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


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