Burte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Burte

What does the name Burte mean?

Burte is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the Norman personal name and was originally spelled Berte. That name is derived from the word berht, which means light. Hence the name could have been a nickname for someone who was "bright, clear or splendid" having derived from the Anglo Saxon word "beorht." 1

Early Origins of the Burte family

The surname Burte was first found in Norfolk where Thomas de Burt and Hamo Burt were first listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls also listed Ralph Burte in Leicestershire and Roger Burt in Oxfordshire. 2

Early History of the Burte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Burte research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066 and 1273 are included under the topic Early Burte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burte Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Burte family name include Burt, Burte, Birt, Burts, Berte, Burte, Birte and many more.

Early Notables of the Burte family

More information is included under the topic Early Burte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Burte family to Ireland

Some of the Burte family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Burte migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 3

Burte Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Thomas Burte, who settled in Barbados in 1663

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies