Find out how popular the last name Birdyshaw is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Birdyshaw.
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "bird's wood" or "wooded area frequented by birds."
Birdyshaw, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Birdyshaw surname is from the 2000 census data.
Birdyshaw is the 148244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Birdyshaw surname appeared 102 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Birdyshaw.
The surname Birdyshaw is of English origin, with its roots traceable to medieval England. Its earliest known usage dates back to the late Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. This surname is believed to have originated in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire, areas rich with historical and genealogical significance. The name Birdyshaw is likely derived from an old English geographical location, possibly blending an old word for "bird" and "shaw" which refers to a small woodland or thicket.
The etymology of Birdyshaw involves the Old English word "brid" (bird) and "sceaga" (small wood or grove). It is common for English surnames to have originated from place names or geographical features, and Birdyshaw is no exception. It is quite possible that the name originally described a person or family living near or within a bird-populated thicket.
The name Birdyshaw can be found in some historical records such as local parish registers and manorial rolls, although it does not appear in broader records like the Domesday Book, which predates the surname by a few centuries. One of the earliest mentions is from a 14th-century tax record in Yorkshire, where a John Birdyshaw is listed as a landholder.
Over the centuries, the surname has seen slight variations in spelling, reflecting linguistic shifts and the lack of standardized spelling in historical records. Variants such as Birdeshaw or Byrdshagh can be found in documents from the 15th and 16th centuries.
One notable bearer of the surname is Thomas Birdyshaw (1570-1635), a landowner in Lancashire who was mentioned in several legal documents of that era. Another is Elizabeth Birdyshaw (1602-1670), who was involved in charitable works and mentioned in the records of a local Yorkshire parish for her contributions to the community.
In the 17th century, Robert Birdyshaw (1638-1694) gained some prominence as a merchant in the coastal city of Liverpool, navigating the complexities of trade during a volatile period in English history.
John Birdyshaw (1721-1789), a respected clergyman in Yorkshire, can be found in several church records and is remembered for his efforts towards educational reforms within the parishes he served. Lastly, Anne Birdyshaw (1780-1845), an author of local history in Lancashire, published a series of pamphlets in the early 19th century documenting rural life and the genealogy of local families, including her own.
Birdyshaw, though not a widespread name, carries with it a rich tapestry of English history, reflecting the evolution of English surnames and the lives of those who bore it through various centuries. Its origins in the thickets and woodlands of Yorkshire and Lancashire symbolize the deep connection between English surnames and their geographic landscapes.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Birdyshaw.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Birdyshaw was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 99.02% | 101 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Birdyshaw was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/birdyshaw-surname-popularity/">Birdyshaw last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Birdyshaw last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/birdyshaw-surname-popularity/.
"Birdyshaw last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/birdyshaw-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025
Birdyshaw last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/birdyshaw-surname-popularity/.
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