Bainbrid History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Bainbrid is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the parish of Aysgarth in North Yorkshire. 1 2 3

The family originated in Bainbridge, which derives from the Old Norse words Beinn which literally means straight, and from the Old English word "Brycg" which means bridge. 4 According to tradition, a Saxon by the name of Bayn defended a bridge against the enemy.

Early Origins of the Bainbrid family

The surname Bainbrid was first found in North Yorkshire where Bainbridge is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district. This township holds about 14,210 acres, and takes its name from the river Bain. The Roman name for Bainbridge was Virosidum and the remains of a Roman Fort are located just outside the village. 5

"Bainbridge is a name that is also well represented in one form or another in the neighbouring counties of Yorkshire and Westmorland. The old family of Bainbrigg of the county of Durham dates back to the 15th century; and last century several mayors of the city of Durham bore the name of Bainbridge (S.), which is yet represented there. At present the name is mostly established in the Darlington district. In fact Bainbridge has been a Darlington name since the time of Elizabeth (Long.). It has also been established in Stocliton - on - Tees since the middle of the 16th century, when John Baynbridge was mayor. Bainbrigg, or Bainbrige, was the name of a High Sheriff of York in the time of Henry V., and of an archbishop of York and a primate of England in the time of Henry VIII. The Bainbrigge family of Derbyshire came from Wheatley, in the West Riding, in the 16th century; they represented Derby in the parliament during that century." 6

One of the first records of the family was that of Matilda de Baynbrigg who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. Later Robert Baynbryg was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 7

Bembridge is a village and civil parish on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight where the Bembridge Windmill is the only remaining windmill on the Isle of Wight and dates from around 1700.

Early History of the Bainbrid family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bainbrid research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1301, 1462, 1511, 1514, 1545, 1556, 1582, 1583, 1606, 1636, 1643, 1646, 1703 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bainbrid History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bainbrid 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 Bainbrid 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Bainbrid include: Bainbridge, Bainebridge, Banbridge, Bainbrigg, Baynbrigg and many more.

Early Notables of the Bainbrid family

Distinguished members of the family include

Christopher Bainbridge (1462-1514), Archbishop of York, who was made a Cardinal by Pope Julius II on 10 March, 1511. "He was born of a good family at Hilton, near Appleby, in Westmorland. He is said t...
John Bainbridge (1582-1643), was an English physician and astronomer, son of Robert and Anne Bainbridge, was born at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire
Thomas Bainbrigg, Bambridge or Bembridge D.D. (1636-1703), was an English Protestant controversialist and William Bainbridge (died 1583), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Derby

Migration of the Bainbrid family

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 Bainbrid or a variant listed above: Guy Bainbridge who settled in Cambridge Massachusetts in 1620; Christopher and Henry Banbridge, who both settled in Virginia in 1635; Robert Banbrig, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1679.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)