Becroft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Becroft family

The surname Becroft was first found in Yorkshire, where the name is derived from the Old English words "beo" + "croft," (a small field) collectively meaning "dweller at the bee-croft." 1

Another source notes the name could have been derived from a geographical locality as "at the berecroft," or "at the barley-croft." The surname is "evidently a Yorkshire local surname as no instances [were found] in the London church registers printed by the Harleian Society." 2

The first records of the family were Walter de Bercroft and Matilda Bercroft who were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as holding lands at that time in Yorkshire.

Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes de Bercroft; and Willelmus de Bercroft. 2

"Mere Hall, [Hanbury, Worcestershire] built in 1333, is a beautiful specimen of half-timbered architecture, presenting a very picturesque appearance." 3 This branch lived in Hanbury from at least 1412 and owned much of the land in the south of the parish until the middle of the twentieth century. Mere Hall was passed to Edward Henry Longcroft, whose grandmother was a Bearcroft in 1820.

Early History of the Becroft family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Becroft research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1412, 1587, 1697, 1700, 1710, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1719, 1761, 1820 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Becroft History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Becroft Spelling Variations

The name, Becroft, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Beecroft, Becroft, Becraft, Bearcroft and others.

Early Notables of the Becroft family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Philip Bearcoft (1697-1761), English antiquary, descended from an ancient Worcestershire family, was born at Worcester on 1 May 1697. "In 1716 he took his B.A. degree, in...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Becroft Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Becroft family

The New World beckoned settlers from the Scottish-English borders. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Among the early settlers bearing the Becroft surname who came to North America were: E. J. Beecraft arrived in San Francisco, California, in 1750.

Contemporary Notables of the name Becroft (post 1700) +

William E. Becroft, American politician, Warden (borough president) of Wallingford, Connecticut, 1909-11 4

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html