Show ContentsBurninman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Burninman date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Burninman family 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 Burninman family

The surname Burninman 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 Burninman family

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

Burninman 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 Burninman 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. The variations of the name Burninman include: Bermingham, Berminean, Bermingcham, Berminham, Bremingham, Birmingham and many more.

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

Ireland Migration of the Burninman family to Ireland

Some of the Burninman 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 Burninman 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 Burninman or a variant listed above: 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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