Beecroft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Beecroft family

The surname Beecroft 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 Beecroft family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beecroft 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 Beecroft History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beecroft Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Beecroft occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Beecroft, Becroft, Becraft, Bearcroft and others.

Early Notables of the Beecroft 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 Beecroft Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beecroft migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Beecroft Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Joseph Beecroft, aged 33, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Brankenmoor" 4
Joseph Beecroft, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Branken Moor" in 1849 4
Miss Ellen Beecroft, English convict who was convicted in Northallerton, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Beecroft (post 1700) +

Jeffrey Beecroft (b. 1956), American Academy Award nominated production designer for the film Dances with Wolves (1990)
Robert Stephen Beecroft, American diplomat, United States Ambassador to Egypt (2014-), United States Ambassador to Iraq (2012-2014), United States Ambassador to Jordan (2008-2011)
David Beecroft (b. 1960), American Soap Opera Digest Award nominated actor, known for All My Children (1970), One Life to Live (1968) and Shadowzone (1990)
Lucie Beecroft (b. 1996), English professional squash player
John Beecroft (1790-1854), English explorer, governor of Fernando Po and British Consul of the Bight of Benin and Biafra
Norma Marian Beecroft (b. 1934), Canadian composer, producer, broadcaster, and arts administrator
Paul Adrian Barlow Beecroft (b. 1947), British venture capitalist, former Chief Investment Officer of the private equity group Apax
Barry Beecroft (b. 1955), former Australian rules footballer
Kathleen Joan "Kate" Beecroft, Manx politician, Leader of the Liberal Vannin Party (2014-)
Bob Beecroft (b. 1952), former Australian rules footballer who played from 1970 to 1985
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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.
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The BRANKEN MOOR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849BrankenMoor.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland