| ![Show Contents]() Beauvais History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Beauvais was recognized on the island as a name for a friend, and is a somewhat nondescript form of affectionate address, somewhat like pal or mate in modern English. The name translates from the Old French root belfiz of the same meaning. The modern French meaning of the word as son in law was not in place until 1468. Other sources claim that the name is a local surname from Beauvais in France. and there, we found that "Duke Richard II. in 1027, confirmed the gift of Ansgot de Belvai of land at Belvai to Fescamp Abbey. Fescamp (Fécamp) Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Fécamp, Seine-Maritime, Upper Normandy, France. 1 2 Founded in 658 by Waningus, a Merovingian count, the abbey still stands today. As to agree with this postulation, another source weighs in on the debate by simply stating "The town of Beauvais, in France, is however a more likely source for the surname." 3 This author continues "Sir Bevys of medieval romance seems to have no place in veritable history, though Heylin claims him as a real Earl of Southampton. The first instance of the surname that I can call to mind is in Sir John Bevis, or Befs, who took Richard, brother of King Henry III., prisoner in a windmill at the battle of Lewes, in 1264. " 3 Early Origins of the Beauvais familyThe surname Beauvais was first found in Hampshire, where they were granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They were descended from the Beauvais in Normandy, and appear on the honor roll of Battell Abbey, as accompanying Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Beauvais familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beauvais research. Another 36 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1254, 1693, 1715, 1718, 1731 and 1771 are included under the topic Early Beauvais History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Beauvais Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Beauvais family name include Bevis, Bevys, Beavis, Beavys and others. Early Notables of the Beauvais familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Bevis of Hampshire; and John Bevis (1693-1771), an Welsh doctor and astronomer, best known for discovering the Crab Nebula in 1731. "Born 31 Oct. 1693...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beauvais Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Beauvais World RankingIn the United States, the name Beauvais is the 13,111st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Beauvais is ranked the 629th most popular surname. 5 And in France, the name Beauvais is the 965th popular surname with an estimated 5,423 people with that name. 6
 Beauvais migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Beauvais family to immigrate North America:
Beauvais Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jean Beauvais, aged 17, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 7
Beauvais Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Dora Beauvais, who immigrated to the United States, in 1892
Beauvais Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Alexander Beauvais, aged 40, who settled in America from Saunois, France, in 1917
- Alexander Beauvais, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Paris, France, in 1919
- Alexandre Beauvais, aged 42, who immigrated to the United States from Paris, France, in 1920
- Anna Beauvais, aged 55, who settled in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1920
- Adele Beauvais, aged 40, who landed in America from Epernay, France, in 1920
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Beauvais migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Beauvais Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century- Jacques Beauvais, who landed in Montreal in 1653
- Jeanne Beauvais, aged 21, who landed in Montreal in 1653
Beauvais Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Juste Beauvais, who arrived in Canada in 1713
Beauvais Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century- A.E. Beauvais, aged 30, who settled in Montreal, Canada, in 1907
- Alade Beauvais, aged 34, who settled in Montreal, Canada, in 1911
- Anita Beauvais, aged 19, who immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1911
- Christeana Beauvais, aged 35, who immigrated to Montreal, Canada, in 1911
- Alcide Beauvais, aged 43, who immigrated to Montreal, Can, in 1919
| Contemporary Notables of the name Beauvais (post 1700) | + |
- Garcelle Beauvais (b. 1966), American (Haitian born) television and film actress
- Lee Beauvais, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 2004 8
- Armand Julie Beauvais (1783-1843), American politician, Member of Louisiana State House of Representatives; Member of Louisiana State Senate; Governor of Louisiana, 1829-30 8
- Albert L. Beauvais, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention from Wayne County 13th District, 1961 8
- Charles Théodore Beauvais de Préau, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 9
- Louis-Jacques Beauvais, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 10
- Laurent Beauvais (b. 1952), French politician and the incumbent President of the Regional Council of Basse-Normandie
- René Beauvais (1795-1837), Canadian carpenter and master woodcarver from Quebec
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Charles Beauvais. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
- Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Louis-Jacques Beauvais. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
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Beauvais migration to the United States 
Beauvais migration to Canada 
