| ![Show Contents]() Bignell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Bignell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in one of two places. Some bearers of the surname Bignell derive their name from the parish of Bickenhill, which lies seven miles from Birmingham in the county of Warwickshire. 1 Bickenhill Church is a parish, in the union of Meriden, Solihull division of the hundred of Hemlingford, N. division of Warwickshire. "This place is of considerable antiquity, and included Kington, or Kingsford, now partly in this parish and partly in that of Solihull." 2 Other members of the family come from the parish of Bickenhall, otherwise known as Bicknell, which is near Taunton in the county of Somerset. 2 Early Origins of the Bignell familyThe surname Bignell was first found in Somerset and Warwickshire, where Thomas de Bikenhulle was the first on record in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1214. Later, John de Bikenhull and Walter Bykenhulle were listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327. 3 Early History of the Bignell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bignell research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1310, 1318, 1349, 1611, 1629, 1645, 1660, 1695, 1723, 1788, 1796, 1861 and 1948 are included under the topic Early Bignell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bignell Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bignell are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Bignell include: Bicknell, Bicknall, Bickenell, Bickenall, Bickenhall, Bickwell, Bignell, Bignall, Bignold, Bicknoll, Bignal, Bignel, Bignoll and many more. Early Notables of the Bignell familyNotables of the family at this time include - Henry Bignell (1611-1660?), English divine, born in the parish of St. Mary, Oxford, in July 161, son of Foulk Bignell of Souldern, Oxfordshire. In 1629 he became a servitor of Brasenose College, and s...
 Migration of the Bignell family to Ireland
Some of the Bignell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Bignell migration to the United States | + |
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bignell or a variant listed above:
Bignell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jane Bignell, aged 47, who landed in Carolina in 1774 4
| Bignell migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Bignell Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- George Bignell, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1841
| Bignell migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Bignell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- George Bignell, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairlee" in 1840 5
- Mr. John Bignell (Ranger), (b. 1801), aged 39, British Ploughman who was convicted in Kent, England for life for arson, transported aboard the "Asia" on 25th April 1840, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1866 6
- William Bignell, English convict from Northampton, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
| Contemporary Notables of the name Bignell (post 1700) | + |
- George William Bignell, American Major League Baseball player
- George Carter Bignell (1826-1910), eminent English entomologist
- Hugh Glennie Bignell (1882-1907), Indian born English cricketer
- Tony Bignell (b. 1989), English actor and singer
- Lieutenant Colonel Guy Newcombe Bignell (1886-1965), English cricketer
- Arthur Bignell (1861-1944), New Zealand Mayor of Wanganui from 1904 - 1906
- Larry Irvin Bignell (b. 1950), Canadian retired professional Ice hockey defenceman
- Tim Bignell, Australian bass guitarist
- Leon William Kennedy Bignell (b. 1966), Australian politician
- Sir Roderick Bignell Weir JP (1927-2021), New Zealand businessman and Justice of the Peace, born in Palmerston North
| Historic Events for the Bignell family | + |
HMS Royal Oak - Charles S. Bignell, British Musician with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 8
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FAIRLIE/FAIRLEE 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Fairlie.htm
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1840
- State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
- Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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Bignell migration to the United States 
Bignell migration to Canada 
Bignell migration to Australia 
England
Ireland
