Show ContentsBellanger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bellanger was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bellanger family lived in Nottingham in the midlands of England. However, the family was originally descended from the Bellengers, the Knights of Facomberg in Picardy, France and the name has been corrupted from the name of the French Boulanger family, who were chevaliers (knights) of Hainaut and Flanders.

Early Origins of the Bellanger family

The surname Bellanger was first found in Worcestershire where John Belinger was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1275. 1

From this earliest record, we move to 16th century London where William Bellinger is buried at St. Peter, Cornhill in 1563; and the same church records show Thomas Bland and Rose Bellynger married at that time. William Bellinger and Dorothy Ferrybye were married in 1572-3 and later, Richard Ashman and Joan Belinger were married in 1620. 2

Early History of the Bellanger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bellanger research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1468, 1469, 1477, 1642 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Bellanger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bellanger Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Ballenger, Ballinger, Bellinger, Bellenger and others.

Early Notables of the Bellanger family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Francis Bellinger (died 1721), an English physician, an original member of the Spalding Society.John Bellinger was a "bookseller in London; Cliffords...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bellanger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bellanger Ranking

In the United States, the name Bellanger is the 18,341st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Bellanger is ranked the 600th most popular surname with an estimated 7,840 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Bellanger family to Ireland

Some of the Bellanger family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 162 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bellanger migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bellanger or a variant listed above:

Bellanger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Noel Bellanger, who landed in New York in 1798 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Bellanger (post 1700) +

  • Joseph C. Bellanger, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 1st District, 1932


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  5. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook