Show ContentsBingham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bingham arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bingham family lived at Bingham in the county of Nottinghamshire. The name of that place is derived from the Old Norse word bingr, meaning stall or manger, and the Old English word ham, meaning settlement or village. Another reference claims the family descended from "De Buisli, from Buisli or Builly, near Neûchatel, Normandy (often supposed to be of Saxon origin.)" [1] The same reference claims "Roger de Busliaco held 149 lordships in barony 1086, chiefly in York [Yorkshire] and Notts [Nottinghamshire], which were entitled the Honour of Tickhill. He also held Sutton, Somerset, from Roger de Arundel. One of his lordships was Bingham, Notts, and estate of great value and importance." [1] Whichever origin the reader chooses, there is no doubt that Norfolk was the stronghold of the family since ancient times.

Early Origins of the Bingham family

The surname Bingham was first found in Nottinghamshire at Bingham, a market town in the Rushcliffe borough that has existed since at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Bingheham [2] which probably meant "homestead of the family or followers of a man called Bynna" from the Old English personal name + ham. [3] "This place was possessed previously to the Conquest by two Saxon chieftains, and appears to have been anciently more extensive than at present: it had a college, or guild, in honour of St. Mary. " [4]

One of the first records of the family was Simon Binham or Bynham (fl. 1335), English chronicler, a monk of the priory of Binham, Norfolk, one of the cells belonging to the abbey of St. Albans. [5]

A few years later, William Binham or Bynham (fl. 1370), the English theologian, was a native of Binham in Norfolk, where there was a Benedictine priory dependent on the abbey of St. Albans. [5] One may presume that the above two people were related as they both came from the same priory, but there is no written proof.

Early History of the Bingham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bingham research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1246, 1300, 1528, 1573, 1584, 1599, 1606, 1607, 1615, 1625, 1639, 1645, 1654, 1658, 1659, 1662, 1668, 1673, 1682, 1689, 1692, 1714, 1723, 1890 and 1915 are included under the topic Early Bingham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bingham Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bingham, Binham, Bingam, Binghame and others.

Early Notables of the Bingham family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir Richard Bingham or Byngham (1528-1599), English Governor of Connaught, the third son of Richard Bingham, of Melcombe-Bingham, Dorsetshire. "In 1584, Bingham was appointed Governor of Connaught, an...
  • John Bingham (1607-1689), was an English divine, born at Derby, and as he was in his eighty-second year when he died in 1689, his birth date must have been in 1606-1607. [5]
  • John Bingham (1615-1673), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1645 and 1659, and served in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War
  • Joseph Bingham (1668-1723), was an English theologian, known for his learned work on Christian antiquities. He was the "author of the 'Origines Ecclesiasticæ,' or 'Antiquities of the Christian Church...

Bingham Ranking

In the United States, the name Bingham is the 1,187th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. [6] However, in the United Kingdom, the name Bingham is ranked the 880th most popular surname with an estimated 7,764 people with that name. [7]

Ireland Migration of the Bingham family to Ireland

Some of the Bingham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 148 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bingham migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bingham or a variant listed above:

Bingham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Bingham, who settled in Virginia in 1653
  • Thomas Bingham who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1673

Canada Bingham migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bingham Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Ms. Elisha Bingham U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 [8]
Bingham Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Bingham, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Independence" in 1832
  • Mr. John Bingham, aged 6 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th August 1847 but he died on board [9]
  • Mr. John Bingham, aged who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th August 1847 but he died on board [9]

Australia Bingham migration to Australia +

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

Bingham Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Bingham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Bingham, British Convict who was convicted in Sussex, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [11]
  • Mr. Joel Bingham, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [12]
  • Mr. Joseph Bingham who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "England"on 31st March 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [13]
  • Ellen Bingham, English convict from Worcester, who was transported aboard the "Amphitrite" on August 21, 1833, settling in New South Wales, Australia [14]
  • Mr. John Bingham, British Convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 25th June 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [15]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bingham 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:

Bingham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Bingham, (b. 1838), aged 21, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 26th January 1860 [16]
  • Miss Mary Bingham, (b. 1840), aged 19, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 26th January 1860 [16]
  • Miss Emma Bingham, (b. 1841), aged 23, British domestic servant travelling from London aboard the ship "Glenmark" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1865 [17]
  • William J. Bingham, aged 25, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waikato" in 1874
  • Emma Bingham, aged 28, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Waikato" in 1874
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Bingham migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [18]
Bingham Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • William Bingham, aged 18, who settled in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon"

Contemporary Notables of the name Bingham (post 1700) +

  • Stanley Walker "Stan" Bingham (1945-2022), American politician, Member of the North Carolina Senate (2001-2017)
  • Howard Bingham (1939-2016), American biographer of Muhammad Ali and a professional photographer
  • Hiram Bingham, American Congregationalist missionary in Hawaii
  • George Caleb Bingham (1811-1879), American painter and frontier politician
  • Seth Bingham (1882-1972), American organist, composer and professor at Columbia University
  • John Armor Bingham, American lawyer and politician, Congressman from Ohio, and a judge in the trial of the Abraham Lincoln assassination
  • Richard Bingham the Younger (1798-1872), English divine, the eldest son of Richard Bingham the Elder
  • Richard Bingham the Elder (1765-1858), English divine, born 1 April 1765, son of the Rev. Isaac Moody Bingham, rector of Birchanger and Runwell, Essex
  • Peregrine Bingham the Elder (1754-1826), English biographer and poet, son of George Bingham, B.D., rector of Pimperne, Dorsetshire
  • Peregrine Bingham the Younger (1788-1864), English legal writer, the eldest son of Peregrine Bingham the elder
  • ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hillcrest Coal Mine
  • Mr. Fred Bingham (1876-1914), Canadian Miner from Victoria, Nova Scotia, Canada who worked in the Hillcrest Coal Mine, Alberta, Canada and died in the mine collapse [19]
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Joseph Bingham, British Leading Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, was listed as missing and presumed killed during the evacuation of Singapore 1942 [20]
RMS Lusitania
  • Miss Alice Winifred Bingham, English 2nd Class passenger residing in Toronto, Ontario, Canada returning to England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking [21]


The Bingham 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: Spes mea Christus
Motto Translation: Christ is my hope.


Suggested Readings for the name Bingham +

  • Descendants of James Bingham of County Down, Northern Ireland by James Barry Bingham.
  • Fathers and Sons, the Bingham Family and the American Mission by Char Miller.

  1. 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)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  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
  9. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 65)
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  14. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Amphitrite voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1833 with 99 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/amphitrite/1833
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  19. List Of Miners - Hillcrest Mine Disaster Data. (Retrieved 2014, June 24) . Retrieved from http://www.hillcrestminedisaster.com/data/index.php?title=List_Of_Miners
  20. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  21. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/


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