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Click here to view a scanned image of a
shrunken xerox copy of the original certificate.
The distinguished surname
Barton is one of the most notable Anglo/Saxon surnames, and its historical
trail emerged from the mists of time to become an influential surname of the
middle ages and of the present day.
In an in-depth research of such ancient manuscripts as the
Domesday Book compiled in 1086 A.D., by Duke William of Normandy, the Ragman
Rolls (1291-1296) collected by King Edward 1st of England, the Curia
Regis Rolls, The Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, parish registers, baptismals,
tax records and other ancient documents, researchers found the first record of
the name Barton in Lancashire, where they had been seated from ancient times.
Confusing to most, we found many different spellings in the
archives researched. Although your
name, Barton, occurred in many manuscripts, from time to time the surname was
often spelled Barton, Barten, Bartin, and these changes in spelling frequently
occurred, even between father and son.
There is one record, a father and eight sons. In the graveyard where they are buried, all nine have different
spellings of their surnames. Many
reasons were revealed for these spelling variations but mainly church officials
and scribes spelt the name as it was told to them.
The family name Barton is one of the most notable of the ancient
Ancient Anglo/Saxon race. This founding
race of England, a fair skinned people led by General/Commanders Hengist and
Horsa, settled in Kent from about the year 400 A.D. The Angles, on the other hand, occupied the eastern coast.
The Anglo/Saxon five century domination of English society was
an uncertain time, and the nation divided into five separate kingdoms, a high
king being elected as supreme ruler.
By 1066, King Harold came
to the throne of England which was enjoying reasonable peace and
prosperity. However, the Norman
invasion from France and their victory at the Battle of Hastings, found many of
the vanguished Saxon land owners to be forfeited their land by Duke William and
his invading nobles. They became
oppressed under Norman rule, and some moved northward to the midlands,
Lancashire and Yorkshire, even into Scotland.
The family name Barton emerged as a notable English family name in the country of Lancashire, where they had established their family seat at Barton Hall in Smithills. By the year 1015 they had moved south into Chesire, when Aelfric Bertune held estates, and his son Paganus Barton was still holding them in 1163. The family flourished on their estates, and intermarried closely with the Shuttleworths. Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir Andrew Barton of Overbarton in Ayrshire.
For the next two or three centuries the surname Barton flourished and played a significant role in political development of England. During the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries England was ravaged by religious and political conflict. Puritanism, Catholicism, Royalist and parliamentary forces shed much blood. Many families were freely “encouraged” to migrate to Ireland, or to the “colonies”. Some were rewarded with grants of lands, others were banished.
In Ireland, settlers became known as the Adventurers for land in Ireland. These Protestant settlers undertook to maintain the Protestant faith. They became nobility in Ireland mainly identified with Straffan Castle in County Kildare, although they held seats in Donegal, Fermanagh, Kildare, Tipperary, Kilkenny, and Wicklow.
Meanwhile the New World beckoned and migration continued, some voluntarily from Ireland, but mostly directly from England or Scotland, their home territories. Some clans and families even moved to the European continent.
Kinsmen of the family name Barton were amongst the many who sailed aboard the armada of small sailing ships known as the “White Sails” which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships were pestilence ridden, sometimes 30% to 40% of the passanger list never reaching their destination, their numbers reduced by many diseases and the elements, and many were buried at sea.
Principal amongst the settlers which could be considered a kinsman of the surname Barton, or a variable spelling of that family name was Jane Barton who settled in the Barbados in 1654; Nicholas Barton settled in Virginia in the same year; Robert Barton settled in Virginia in 1637; William Barton settled in Jamaica in 1654; John Barton settled in New England in 1679; Livingston Barton settled in San Franciso, California, in 1850; T. Barton settled in Baltimore, Maryland in 1820; Thomas Barton settled in New York, New York state, in 1820; William Barton settled in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1823. In Newfoundland, John settled in St. John’s in 1794; Patrick from Tipperary, Ireland, was married in St. John’s in 1827; Thomas was a fisherman of Carbonear in 1857; John and Richard were fisherman in Petty Harbour in 1871. There is a place name of Barton in Newfoundland.
The trek from the port of entry was also arduous and many joined the wagon trains to the prairies or to the west coast. During the American War of Independence, many loyalists made their way north to Canada about 1790, and became known as the United Empire Loyalists.
20th century notables of this surname, Barton, include many distinguished persons Sir Andrew Barton; Sir Derek Barton, Organic Chemistry; Sir Charles Barton, Australian Statesman; Margaret Barton, Author.
Research has determined the above Coat of Arms to be the most ancient recorded for the family surname Barton [see scanned image for the coat of arms].
