Birdsall (surname)

The name Birdsall derives from the place name in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. In the time of the Domesday Book the place was known as Briteshala which in anglo-saxon means "Brid's sloping land" and it was occupied by one Ulchil (originally Ulfketyl). At this time all land was in the King's gift (William the Conqueror). Birdsall was given by him to his half brother Robert, Count of Mortain, who leased it to the Fossard family. Nigel Fossard built there the wooden castle of Monferrant which was soon destroyed by the Earl of Albemarle; the timber therefrom being used in the construction of Meaux Abbey. The Fossards, who held over ninety manors sub-let Birdsall to the family who took their surname "de Bridshalle", later "de Birdsall", from that place. When the Fossard male line became extinct, a Mauley (de Malo Lacu), who married the Fossard heiress- in- line took over the Fossard holdings and became feudal overlord of the Birdsalls. The Birdsalls however were great barons in their own right until their fortunes changed in the first half of the fourteenth century. Not long afterwards we see that their descendants are lawyers and wealthy merchants in the City of York and others are minor landowners within the County. This archive material sheds light on life in mediaeval Yorkshire and on proud, and more humble, bearers of the name BIRDSALL.