Babberish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Babberish is a name whose history is connected to the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Babberish family once lived on Beverege, an island in the Severn River, about 4 miles north of Worcester.

"Mr. Beveridge says the origin of the name is to be found in 'Beverege,' the name of an island in the Severn referred to by Florence of Worcester as a retreat of the Danes during a revolt of the English [in 1041]. The name, he correctly says, means 'Beaver island,' from Old English befer or beofer, and ig or ige, island." 1 Later known as Bevere Island, this island became a refuge once again during the Black Death.

Camden notes: "The existence of the beaver in Britain within historical memory seems proved by such names as Beverege, Beverley, perhaps but less likely Beverstone in Gloucestershire." He speaks of beavers in his time in the Teifi, but in Teifi only. Another source noted the name was derived from "Beferige, i. e. 'the Beaver's edge,' Several other local names in Befer, in that collection, show that the beaver was an inhabitant of this island in Saxon times." 2

While the name Babberish may have arisen in the southwest of England, it is generally associated with Yorkshire and Scotland.

Early Origins of the Babberish family

The surname Babberish was first found in Buckinghamshire where the first record of the family was Wido, William Beverage who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1212 and later in the Pipe Rolls of Surrey in 1230. Richard Bevereche was listed c. 1240 in Huntingdonshire. The Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1280 list William Bauerich. 3 This latter source notes the origin of the name as having derived from the Middle English word "beuerage," or the Old French word "bevrege, buverage" meaning "drink, liquor for consumption." By far, the lion's share of sources claim that the name originates from the aforementioned Beverege Island with this source and one other eluding to the more contemporary use of the word.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Hugh Beverach, Cambridgeshire; Ralph Beverache, Cambridgeshire; Agnes Beverach, Cambridgeshire; Halter Beverage, Lincolnshire; and Thomas Beverage, Yorkshire. 4 Some of the family moved north into Northumberland and into Scotland about the year 1200.

In Scotland it was a name very difficult for the Scottish tongue, pronunciation and spellings became numerous. Here they settled in St. Andrews in 1302 where Walter Beverage is named as juror on an inquest at St. Andrews. Years later, Henry Beveragh was witness in Paisley, 1504 and a decree against Alexander Bauerage is recorded in 1531. David Beverage was cup-bearer to James V in 1534. 1

Early History of the Babberish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Babberish research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1636, 1637, 1704, 1708, 1890 and 1923 are included under the topic Early Babberish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Babberish Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Babberish family name include Beveridge, Belfridge, Belfrage, Beverage, Beveradge, Bevidge, Bevige, Berridge and many more.

Early Notables of the Babberish family

Distinguished members of the family include William Beveridge (1637-1708), an English clergyman, Bishop of St Asaph (1704-1708.) He was the "son of the Rev. William Beveridge, B.D., was...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Babberish Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Babberish family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Babberish surname or a spelling variation of the name include: John Beveridge who settled in New England in 1685; Mary Beveridge settled in Maryland in 1774; Robert Beveridge arrived in New York in 1823; William Bevidge landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1864..

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)