Bebington History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Bebington comes from the family having resided in the Wirral Peninsula where they were from Bebington, near Birkenhead. Bebbe comes from the Anglo-Saxon babbe, which means protector. 1

Early Origins of the Bebington family

The surname Bebington was first found in Cheshire at Bebington, a parish, in the union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Wirrall. "The manor of Higher Bebington was held for several generations by the family of Bebington, the elder branch of which became extinct in the reign of Richard II.: a younger branch settled at Nantwich. Richard Bebington, of this family, had six sons and a brother slain at the battle of Flodden Field. The manor passed with the heiress of the elder branch to the Minshulls." 2

By the 14th century, early rolls point to the widespread use of the name is a variety of early spellings including: Adam de Bebyngton in Cambridgeshire; Hugh Bebynton in London in 1403; and Peter Bebynton in Cheshire in 1492. 3

"The Bebbingtons derived their name from a Cheshire parish. The ancient family of De Bebington held the manor of that name for several generations up to the time of Richard II.; a younger branch settled at Nantwich, and one of its members lost six sons on the field of Flodden in 1513. The Bebbingtons have still their principal home in the Nantwich district, where they are numerously represented." 4

Early History of the Bebington family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bebington research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bebington History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bebington Spelling Variations

Bebington has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Bebbington, Bebington, Bebbinton, Bebinton and many more.

Early Notables of the Bebington family

Distinguished members of the family include

Bebington of Cheshire

Migration of the Bebington family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bebingtons to arrive on North American shores: Anne Bevington who settled in Virginia in 1660; Francis Bevington landed in America in 1772; Thomas Bevinton settled in Virginia in 1650.

Citations +

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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.