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![Show Contents]() Belle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Belle surname arose independently from several different sources. In some instances, it comes from the Old English word "belle" meaning "bell," and was most likely an occupational name for a bell ringer. It may have also been a name for someone who lived near a bell. Belle is also known to have arisen from the English and Scots given name Bel, which derived from the Old French "beu" or "bel," meaning "handsome." "The chief habitation of the Bells has long been on the Scottish border. " 1 Early Origins of the Belle familyThe surname Belle was first found in Dumfriesshire, where they have been found since ancient times. The Clan is descended from Gilbert le fiz Bel, who had extensive territories in Annandale on the English/Scottish border. He was the first clan chief, when King Edward invaded the Scottish lowlands in 1290 AD. In this brief conquest, Bel forfeited the clan territories of the Bells and the clan moved to Middlebie in Dumfrieshire. Later when Edward of England was defeated by the Scottish they returned to their Annandale territories in the Scottish West Marches and acquired some territories on the southern side of the border at Gilsland just south of Hadrian's Wall. "The Bells of Annandale are said to be descended from Gilbert le fiz Bel, who was deprived of his lands by Edward I. The name was common on the Border for centuries, and the 'Beilis' are included in the list of unruly clans in the West Marches, 1587." 2 Early History of the Belle familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belle research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1069, 1263, 1271, 1562, 1577, 1587, 1590, 1603, 1607, 1618, 1626, 1629, 1636, 1640, 1648, 1650, 1668, 1678, 1890 and 1896 are included under the topic Early Belle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Belle Spelling VariationsSpelling variations of this family name include: Bell, Belle and others. Early Notables of the Belle familyNotable amongst the family name during their early history was Master David Bell, canon of the church of Dunkeld in 1263; William Bel, vicar of Lamberton, who witnessed a charter to Coldingham Priory, 1271; Sir Edmond Bell Of Castle Acre and Beaupre Hall, Norfolk (1562-1607), Justice of the Peace, Norfolk; The Blessed Arthur Bell (1590-1618), also known as Francis Bell, who was a Franciscan...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Belle RankingIn the United States, the name Belle is the 7,433rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Belle is ranked the 3,013rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 4  Migration of the Belle family to Ireland
Some of the Belle family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Belle migration to the United States | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Belle Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- John Belle, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 5
Belle Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jean Pierre Belle, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 5
Belle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Peter Belle, aged 21, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1848 5
| Belle migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Belle Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century- Mr. Thomas Belle U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 6
| Belle 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: Belle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- William S. Belle, aged 20, a farm labourer, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 7
| Contemporary Notables of the name Belle (post 1700) | + |
- Bernard Belle (1964-2022), American four-time Grammy Award winning composer, producer, musician and songwriter for Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston
- Ekkehardt Belle (1954-2022), German television actor, best known for his role as David Balfour in the 1979 HTV production of Kidnapped opposite David McCallum
- Sylvia Belle Chase (1938-2019), American correspondent for ABC's 20/20 from its inception until 1985
- Maggie Belle Hodges, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1956, 1960 (member, Committee on Rules and Order of Business) 8
- Donna Belle Urquhart (b. 1986), Australian gold medalist squash player at the 2010 World Team Championships
- La Belle Otero (1868-1965), Spanish-born dancer, actress and courtesan
- Jessie Belle Rittenhouse (1869-1948), American literary critic, compiler of anthologies, and poet
- Donna Belle Mullenger (1921-1986), birth name of Donna Reed, American Academy Award and Golden Globe winning film and television actress
- Erma Belle Blado, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Florida, 1960 9
- Mary Belle Stallings, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Michigan, 1956, 1964 10
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- 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)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, May 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Belle migration to the United States 
Belle migration to Canada 
Belle migration to New Zealand 
Scotland/England
England
France
Italy
Ireland
