Wishlist
Menu
Cart
HouseofNames
Wishlist
Cart

Show ContentsBillington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Product

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

4.9 Average Rating

The name Billington is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a person who lived at one of several settlements named Billington in the counties of Bedfordshire, Lancashire, or Staffordshire.

Early spellings of the place name include: Billendon, Bedfordshire in 1196 and Billingduna, Lancashire in the same year. 1 It is generally thought the place name meant "hill with a sharp ridge," from the Old English word "billing" + "dun" or "hill of a man called Billa." 1

Early Origins of the Billington family

The surname Billington was first found in Lancashire at Billington, a township and district chapelry, in the parish, union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Blackburn. 2

The town has been listed various spellings over the years: Billindon (1203); Billinton (1208); Bilingdon (1241) and later as Belyngton or Bilyngton. This area "is supposed to have been the scene of a battle that occurred between Wada, a Saxon duke, one of the murderers of Ethelred, and Ardulph, King of Northumbria, in the year 798, when the former was defeated." 2

While the surname was primarily found in Lancashire, we must look of Staffordshire to find the first record, specifically Robert de Billington who was listed there in the Assize Rolls of 1203. 3 William de Bilington was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332 as was Adam de Billington. In nearby Yorkshire, Johannes de Billyngton was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4

Early History of the Billington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Billington research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1580, 1595, 1630, 1663, 1696, 1737, 1768 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Billington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Billington Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Billington 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. The variations of the name Billington include Billington, Billingston, Billingdon and others.

Early Notables of the Billington family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • John Billington (c.1580-1630), a signer of the Mayflower Compact; he was the first Englishman to be convicted of murder in the New World, and the first to be hanged for any crime in New England. Billi...
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Billington was the daughter of Carl Weichsel, a native of Freiberg in Saxony, and principal clarinet at the King's Theatre. Her mother was for several years a favourite singer at Vauxha...
  • Thomas Billington, the brother-in-law, of Elizabeth Billington, was a harpist, pianist, and composer in the latter part of the 18th century

Billington Ranking

In the United States, the name Billington is the 6,564th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 5

Ireland Migration of the Billington family to Ireland

Some of the Billington family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Billington 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 Billington or a variant listed above:

Billington Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Billington, (1580 - 1630), who sailed on the "Mayflower" and arrived in Plymouth in 1620, he was hung for the murder of John Newcomen
  • Mrs. Eleanor Billington, who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship "Mayflower" 6
  • Mr. John Billington, who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship "Mayflower", he died prior to 1630 6
  • Mr. Francis Billington, (1606-1684). who arrived in Plymouth in 1620 aboard the ship "Mayflower" 6
Billington Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Harry Edward Billington, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1874 7
Billington Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James Billington, aged 26, originally from Liverpool, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Belgic" from Liverpool, England 8

Australia Billington migration to Australia +

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

Billington Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Billington, English baker who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for pick pocketing, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • John Billington, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. James Billington, (b. 1817), aged 16, English shoe maker's boy who was convicted in Rutland, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1893 11
  • Mr. Joseph Billington, English convict who was convicted in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England for 21 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 25th June 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
  • Mr. William Billington, English convict who was convicted in Clerkenwell, London, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 30th June 1845, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Billington migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Billington Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Sarah Billington, aged 22, a housekeeper, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waipa" in 1876

Contemporary Notables of the name Billington (post 1700) +

  • Edwin Billington (1882-1928), American winner of a sliver and three bronze Olympic medals for cycling at the 1904 Summer Games
  • James Hadley Billington (b. 1929), American Rhodes Scholar and the thirteenth Librarian of the United States Congress
  • Ray Allen Billington (1903-1981), American historian, Senior Research Associate at Occidental College (1963-1981)
  • Francelia Billington (1895-1924), American silent-screen actress
  • William Billington (1827-1884), English dialect writer, born at the Yew Trees, Samlesbury, near Blackburn
  • Thomas Billington (d. 1832), English musician from Exeter, a well-known harpsichord and singing master towards the close of the eighteenth century
  • Elizabeth Billington (1768-1818), "the greatest singer England has ever produced, was probably born about 1768 in Litchfield Street, Soho" 14
  • Kevin Billington (1934-2021), British film director, who worked in the theatre, film and television from the 1960s
  • Mr. DeClan George Billington M.B.E., Irish Managing Director for John Thompson and Sons Ltd, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 For services to Economic Development in Northern Ireland 15
  • Michael Billington (1941-2005), British film and television actor
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. John Billington, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16
  • Mr. John Billington, British Leading Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16
  • Mr. Alfred Billington, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 16
  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. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  7. 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)
  8. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  10. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emily
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
  14. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 20 Jun. 2019
  15. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  16. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Houseofnames.com on Facebook