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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : variant spelling of Burley.
  • Probably an altered spelling of Swiss German Beerli, from a short form of the Germanic personal name Berilo, from Old High German bero ‘bear’.
  • Possibly an Anglicized spelling of French Berlet, from a diminutive of Berle, a topographic name from Old French berle ‘water parsnip’ (of Celtic origin, compare Welsh berur, Gaelic biorar ‘watercress’), or perhaps an occupational name for a grower of the plant.

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