Surname Birdsly - Meaning and Origin
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Birdsly: What does the surname Birdsly mean?
The last name Birdsly is an English surname that originated from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Despite the name’s ubiquity in English-speaking countries, its exact origin is not known.
The name Birdsly is believed to have originated from northern England after a local landlord granted small amounts of land to tenants wishing to farm. In return, they took on the landlord’s surname, leading to a large number of people with the same surname.
The surname is derived from the Old English element ‘birds’ meaning ‘of the birds’, which implies that the surname was a topographical name referring to someone who lived near a bird sanctuary or a bird compound. The suffix ‘ly’ is also a common English contraction and could mean ‘from the prominent hills of’ or ‘person living at’.
Therefore, the original meaning of the last name Birdsly could be interpreted as ‘from the prominent hills of the birds’ or ‘a person living near a bird compound’.
In modern times, the last name Birdsly is seen as a part of English heritage and culture, and its original meaning may be long forgotten. However, the name still carries a certain air of mystery and wonder that remains synonymous with Anglo-Saxon culture.
Order DNA origin analysisBirdsly: Where does the name Birdsly come from?
The last name Birdsly is most commonly found in England and the United States. In England it is most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Herefordshire. In America, the surname is mainly found in the northeast and New England states such as New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. It is also found in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
The surname Birdsly can be found in documents from the early 17th century onwards in both America and Europe, with the earliest documented instance in England in 1673. The surname generally has two separate origins, often referring to individuals who lived near or worked in a steep valley or someone who worked with birds, such as a falconer or gamekeeper.
Birdsly is a relatively uncommon surname, accounting for only 0.001% of the population in the United Kingdom. Despite this, there are currently eight births recorded for the surname each year with the most in 2020 being 11. It's slightly more common in America with approximately 1.6 per million, although this still puts it in the lower percentile of surname popularity.
Variations of the surname Birdsly
The surname Birdsly is an English patronymic surname derived from the given name Bird. It is an altered form of the surname Birdely or Birdlay. In addition, other variations of this surname can be Birdesly, Birdisly, Burdsly, Burdesly, Burdeslie, Birdeslee and Birdslee.
The earliest record of the surname Birdsly was recorded in 1332, when Richard Birdesly was noted in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire. During the Middle Ages, the spelling of this surname would have varied depending on the dialect and education of the person who recorded it.
Birdsly is a variant of the surnames Bird or Byrd, which was predominant in Southern England. The origins of this name are from the Old English byrde or brid, meaning ‘bird’. The name was originally used to indicate a person who was “like a bird” - perhaps someone who was particularly agile or graceful.
Over time, this surname has spread to other parts of England, Scotland, Ireland, and even to the United States, Australia, and Canada. Variations of the Bird or Byrd surname can sometimes be found in the records of German immigrants to the United States, since Bird was a popular name in Germany.
In a family tree, the surname Birdsy may also be represented by its variants in spelling. For example, the name Birdsy could represent the surnames Burdisly, Burdeslee, Rodriguez, Rodrigues and Roberts, all of which have comparable etymologies.
Finally, other surnames which are similar or a derivative of Birdsly may include Bridle, Bridgman, Bridgestock and Bridges. These are all derived from the name Bird or Birde.
Famous people with the name Birdsly
- Kenneth Birtwistle: English composer and musician.
- Simon Birtwistle: English entrepreneur and investor.
- Harry Birtwistle: American photographer and inventor.
- Enda Birtwistle: Northern Irish children's author.
- Bill Birdsly: Australian footballer.
- Stephanie Birdsly: Queen of England from 1558 to 1567.
- John Birdsly: American architect and artist.
- Jack Birdsly: English actor and comedian.
- Henry Birdsly: American filmmaker and screenwriter.
- Robert Birdsly: French botanist and scholar.