Beng History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Beng is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived by an open manger or stall. It derived from the Old English name Binningas, which was a name for someone who lived near stables. Alternatively the name could have been derived from "byng" and meant "dweller by the hollow." 1

Another source has a different origin of the name: "from the occurrence of such compounds as Bingley, Bingham, Bingfield, in names of places, it is highly probable that Bing, or Byng, was an ancient personal name. " 2

And another believes the name was actually a Norman name "from Binge-Gerault, Normandy, [which is] mentioned in a charter of King John to Henry de Ferrers. In 1191 Robert de Binga witnessed a charter of Henry, Bishop of Bayeux, executed at Rouen. From this Norman family descended the Viscounts Torrington, and the celebrated Sir John Byng, General in the Peninsular War, and Earl of Strafford. " 3

Early Origins of the Beng family

The surname Beng was first found in Kent, where the family "held property in Wrotham in the time of Elizabeth, and one of this family was sheriff of Kent in the same reign. In the time of James I. the Bings also owned property in Tunbridge, where the name still remains; and in this reign George Bing was mayor of Dover, and also the representative of the city in Parliament. " 4

Apart from the aforementioned Norman entry, the first mention of the name in ancient England was in 1274 when the Hundredorum Rolls listed Robert Bing as holding lands in Devon at that time and Reginald Binge was holding lands in Oxfordshire. 5 John Byng was listed in the Assize Rolls of Kent in 1317. 1

Early History of the Beng family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beng research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1574, 1652, 1654, 1663, 1666, 1672, 1712, 1733, 1739 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Beng History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beng Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Beng has been spelled many different ways, including Bing, Binge, Binley, Binckes, Bink, Byng, Bincks and others.

Early Notables of the Beng family

Notables of the family at this time include Doctor Andrew Bing (1574-1652), English scholar, a fellow of Peterhouse, who was Regius Professor of Hebrew at Cambridge, and was part of the "First Cambridge Company" charged by James I of England with translating parts of the Old Testament for the King James Version of the Bible. 6 George Byng Viscount Torrington (1663-1733), was a British admiral and the eldest son of John Byng, from a family who had settled for many centuries at Wrotham in Kent. "In 1666...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beng Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Beng family to Ireland

Some of the Beng 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.

Migration of the Beng family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bengs to arrive in North America: James Binckes who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860; Brian Bincks settled in New England in 1620; Charles Bincks settled in New England in 1739.

The Beng Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tuebor
Motto Translation: I will defend.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print