Show ContentsBevington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Bevington name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived in the Wirral Peninsula where they were from Bebington, near Birkenhead. Bebbe comes from the Anglo-Saxon babbe, which means protector. 1

Early Origins of the Bevington family

The surname Bevington was first found in Cheshire at Bebington, a parish, in the union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Wirrall. "The manor of Higher Bebington was held for several generations by the family of Bebington, the elder branch of which became extinct in the reign of Richard II.: a younger branch settled at Nantwich. Richard Bebington, of this family, had six sons and a brother slain at the battle of Flodden Field. The manor passed with the heiress of the elder branch to the Minshulls." 2

By the 14th century, early rolls point to the widespread use of the name is a variety of early spellings including: Adam de Bebyngton in Cambridgeshire; Hugh Bebynton in London in 1403; and Peter Bebynton in Cheshire in 1492. 3

"The Bebbingtons derived their name from a Cheshire parish. The ancient family of De Bebington held the manor of that name for several generations up to the time of Richard II.; a younger branch settled at Nantwich, and one of its members lost six sons on the field of Flodden in 1513. The Bebbingtons have still their principal home in the Nantwich district, where they are numerously represented." 4

Early History of the Bevington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bevington research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bevington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bevington Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Bevington were recorded, including Bebbington, Bebington, Bebbinton, Bebinton and many more.

Early Notables of the Bevington family

More information is included under the topic Early Bevington Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bevington migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Bevington family emigrate to North America:

Bevington Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Anne Bevington, who arrived in America in 1654 5
  • John Bevington, who landed in Virginia in 1657 5
  • Anne Bevington who settled in Virginia in 1660
  • Obadiah Bevington, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 5
Bevington Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Francis Bevington, who landed in America in 1772

Australia Bevington migration to Australia +

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

Bevington Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Caroline Bevington, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Amphitrite" on August 21, 1833, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Bevington (post 1700) +

  • David Martin Bevington (1931-2019), American literary scholar, Professor Emeritus in the Humanities and in English Language & Literature, Comparative Literature at the University of Chicago
  • Helen Smith Bevington (1906-2001), American poet, prose author, and educator
  • Ryan Bevington (b. 1988), Wales international rugby union player
  • Timothy Arthur Dent Bevington (1881-1966), English-born, Canadian cricketer
  • Stan Bevington, Canadian founder of Coach House Books, Toronto in 1965
  • Dennis Fraser Bevington (b. 1953), Canadian politician in the Northwest Territories
  • Terry Paul Bevington (b. 1956), former manager of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  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)
  6. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Amphitrite voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1833 with 99 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/amphitrite/1833


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