Barksdale History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Barksdale

What does the name Barksdale mean?

The name Barksdale is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in Lancashire. The name is derived from the term Brigdale which meant the bridge-valley. The prefix brig often becomes brick.

The family were originally “from Briquedale, Normandy, held by Sire Robert de Piessi, t. Philip Augustus. The English family is said to take its name from Brickdale, Lancashire, but I have been unable to ascertain the existence of such a place in England. ” 1

Early Origins of the Barksdale family

The surname Barksdale was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat temp. Edward I. 2 3

Birkdale is a small township, in the parish of North Meols, union of Ormskirk, hundred of West Derby in Lancashire. “The manor, in the reign of Henry IV., was held by the Halsalls; and the Gerards of Bromley became possessed of the estate by purchase in the 17th century. ” 4

Barksdale Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person’s name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Barksdale family name include Brickdale, Birkdale and others.

Early Notables of the Barksdale family

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

Barksdale Ranking

In the United States, the name Barksdale is the 2,316^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 5