Show ContentsBewick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Bewick family

The surname Bewick was first found in Berwickshire in Scotland and Northumberland in England, where "this surname is derived from the famous Border town of the same name. Rather curiously the surname is not uncommon at the present day in Fife. John de Berwic was rector of Renfrew in 1295, and in the year following Geoffry of Berewick, Burgess of Roxburgh, rendered homage [to King Edward I of England]. " 1

Further to the south in England, John de Berewyk (d. 1312), was an English judge, who "was entrusted with the charge of the vacant abbey of St. Edmund, 1278-1279, and of the see of Lincoln during the interval which elapsed between the death of Benedict, otherwise Richard, de Gravesend, 1279, and the appointment of his successor in the episcopate, Oliver Sutton, 1280-1281." 2

In Wiltshire, there were two early listings in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Sampson de Berwyk; and Philip de Berwyke. 3

Moving further north again, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes de Berwyk as holding lands there at that time. 3

Early History of the Bewick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bewick research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1263, 1278, 1279, 1280, 1281, 1284, 1290, 1292, 1294, 1295, 1305, 1309, 1312, 1476, 1615, 1628, 1629 and 1728 are included under the topic Early Bewick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bewick Spelling Variations

The name, Bewick, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Berwick, Bewick, Berwicke, Bewicke and others.

Early Notables of the Bewick family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was John de Berewyk (d. 1312), English judge who "was entrusted with the charge of the vacant abbey of St. Edmund, 1278-1279, and of the see of Lincoln during the interval which elapsed between the death of Benedict, otherwise Richard, de Gravesend, 1279, and the appointment of his successor in the episcopate, Oliver Sutton, 1280-1281. He acted as one of the asessors of the thirtieth for the counties south of the Trent in 1263, and in Michaelmas 1284 is mentioned as treasurer to Queen Eleanor. In 1294 he was one of her...
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bewick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Australia Bewick migration to Australia +

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

Bewick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Bewick, (John), (b. 1815), aged 19, English convict who was convicted in Durham, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1870 when a tree fell on him 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Bewick (post 1700) +

  • Darren Bewick (b. 1967), former AFL footballer
  • Pauline Bewick (1935-2022), English-born Irish artist from Northumberland
  • Jane Bewick (1787-1881), English author, eldest daughter and child of Thomas Bewick by his wife Isabella, born on 29 April 1787, and died 7 April 1881
  • Robert Elliot Bewick (1788-1849), English wood engraver, the only son of Thomas Bewick
  • John Bewick (1760-1795), English wood-engraver, younger brother of Thomas Bewick
  • William Bewick (1795-1866), English portrait painter, born at Darlington 20 Oct. 1795
  • Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), English wood engraver and ornithologist
  • Pauline Bewick (b. 1935), Irish artist
  • Bewick Bridge (1767-1833), English mathematician, a native of Linton in Cambridgeshire, and received his education at St. Peter's College, Cambridge


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant


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