Kirkbright History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Kirkbright was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kirkbright family lived near a church which is derived from the Scottish word kirk, which means church. There is a town called Kirkbridge in Cumberland, about 6 miles from Wigton. 1

Early Origins of the Kirkbright family

The surname Kirkbright was first found in Cumberland, where Adam de Logis adopted this surname after being granted the village of Kirkbride by his father. Kirkbride is located in Cumbria, near the Kirkbride Roman fort which dates back to 122 AD and Hadrian's Wall. Richard de Kirkbride was heir portioner of Helewysa de Levintone, Cumberland in 1274. 2

Early History of the Kirkbright family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirkbright research. Another 121 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1274, 1677 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Kirkbright History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kirkbright Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Kirkbride, Kirkbryd, Kirkbright and others.

Early Notables of the Kirkbright family

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

Kirkbright migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kirkbright Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Kirkbright, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Derwent" in 1849 3

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The DERWENT 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Derwent.htm