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![Show Contents]() Burstan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Burstan surname lived in Staffordshire, where they took their name from Burston. The place name literally meant "farmstead of a man called Burgwine or Burgwulf," from the Old English personal name + "tun." 1 Early Origins of the Burstan familyThe surname Burstan was first found in Staffordshire at Burston which dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Burouestone. 2 However, there are other villages and parishes named Burston throughout Britain including: Burston, Buckinghamshire, a small hamlet near Rowsham; Burston, Norfolk, a village near Diss; Burston and Shimpling, small villages in Norfolk; and Aston, with Burston and Stoke, a parish in Staffordshire. The frequency of the villages is due to the aforementioned personal name. As far as the surname, some of the early records include: Godric filius Burstan, listed in Huntingdonshire in the 12th century and Nicholas de Burgeston who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1199. 3 Early History of the Burstan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burstan research. Another 45 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1275 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Burstan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Burstan Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Burstan 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 Burstan include: Burston, Burstan, Burgeston, Burstone and others. Early Notables of the Burstan familyMore information is included under the topic Early Burstan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Burstan familyMany 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 Burstan or a variant listed above: George and William Barstow who settled in Massachusetts in 1620; George Barstow settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1663; William Bairstow arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1872..
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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