Show ContentsBurrie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Burrie family name to the British Isles. They lived at the parish of Bussey in Hereford. [1] The name, however, is a reference to the family's former place of residence, Bouce, in Orne, Normandy. [2]

Another source disagrees. The Duchess of Cleveland in her work "The Battle Abbey Roll," notes the family likely came from "Buci, in Normandy. Robert de Buci held a great barony in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire in 1086 [3]: but left no heir save a daughter, married to Ralph Basset, Justiciary of England under Henry I. " [4]

Early Origins of the Burrie family

The surname Burrie was first found in Leicestershire at Wyfordby, a parish, in the union of Melton-Mowbray, hundred of Framland. "This place, at the Conquest, was granted to Roger de Bussy, Baron of Tickhill, in the county of York." [5]

"Jordan de Bussi, is mentioned in the time of Stephen, when he held his uncle Walter Espec's castle of Werke, 'and gallantly repulsed the attack of William Fitz Duncan, King of Scots.' Of his descendants I am unable to find any account, except that they held of Mowbray in the thirteenth century." [2]

"The first Jordan de Bussy, called, in the pedigree, the son of Lambert, founded a great Lincolnshire house, that lasted till the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign. There exists no county history to blazon their deeds of arms or count up their forfeitures: we are not informed on which side they fought during the Barons' War, or whether they wore the colours of York or Lancaster. " [4]

"Dom. Hugh de Buscy" occurs in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1272 as a landowner in Northumberland, Norfolk, Lincoln, Suffolk and Sussex; and may have been the father of Hugh de Bowcy, Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1340. " [4]

Early History of the Burrie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burrie research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1381, 1388, 1391, 1393, 1394, 1397, 1399, 1800 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Burrie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burrie Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bussey, Busse, Bushe, Boosie, Boosey, Bowsey, Busey and many more.

Early Notables of the Burrie family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Bussy (d. 1399), Speaker of the House of Commons and Sheriff of Lincoln in 1379, 1381, and 1391. "He was first chosen a knight of the shire for Lincoln in 1388, and continued to sit for that county during the remaining parliaments of Richard II's reign. He was three times elected speaker, first by the parliament of 1393-1394, and afterwards by...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Burrie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burrie family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Burrie or a variant listed above: George Bussey who settled in Virginia in 1637; Thomas Bussey settled in Philadelphia in 1774; Roger Bushe settled in Virginia in 1654; Elizabeth Bussie settled in Virginia in 1649.



  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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