The surname Berry is of English origin. It is derived from a habitational name or topographical name, ultimately from ‘byrig’, of Old English ‘burh’, signifieing fortified place. In late Old English and early Middle English it denoted a fortified manor house, and the surname was thus used as an occupational name for someone employed in a manor house, or someone who lived near a manor house. The word also came to denote a fortified town, and is therefore a habitational name from any of the places so named.The name thus comes to signify ‘dweller at the hill’.The name may also be derived from the French regional name for someone from ‘Berry’, a former province of central France; the word derived from a Gaulic personal name ‘Boirius’. The Irish have also used the name as an anglicization of the Gaelic name O’Beargha.The name dates as far back as the twelfth century,were a Gilbert de la Beri is recorded in historical archives. The name was brought to America by English immigrants.One of the first forefathers to bring this name to America is that of a,James Berry, who came to America aboard t…
Coat of arms: Gules, on a fesse engrailed cottised or, three torteaux, in chie…