Becknel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Becknel

What does the name Becknel mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Becknel family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Bucknall, a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire which had a population of 309 in 2001. The village claims that Lady Godiva was born here based on her brother Thorold, Sheriff of Lincolnshire, being known as "Thorold of Bucknall". Bucknall is also a suburb of Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire and there is another Bucknal listed in Shropshire. Bucknell can be found in Shropshire, close to the borders with Wales and Herefordshire and also about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) northwest of Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.

Early Origins of the Becknel family

The surname Becknel was first found in Lincolnshire where the place dates back to before the Domesday Book, when it was listed as Bokenhale in 806, derived from the Old English personal name "Bucca" + "halh", collectively meaning "nook of land of a man called Bucca, or where he-goats graze." By the time of the Domesday Book, the name was listed as Buchehale in Lincolnshire and in Staffordshire as Bucenhole. 1

Early History of the Becknel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Becknel research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Becknel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Becknel Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Becknel include Bucknall, Bucknell, Bucknel, Bucknal, Bucknill and many more.

Early Notables of the Becknel family

More information is included under the topic Early Becknel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Becknel family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Becknel or a variant listed above: Magdalen Bucknell who settled in Annapolis Maryland in 1731; James Bucknall settled in Philadelphia in 1813; James Bucknale settled in Philadelphia in 1813.

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)