Bedesworth History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Bedesworth is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bedesworth family lived in Surrey, where they held a family seat from very early times at the village of Betsworth.

Early Origins of the Bedesworth family

The surname Bedesworth was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. They were conjecturally descended from Richard FitzGilbert, a Norman noble who was granted the Old Mill and Church at Becesworde (Betchworth) at Betworth, later to become known as Betsworth in that shire. The Church still has eleventh century fragments and the Old Mill was rebuilt in the 16th century.

Early History of the Bedesworth family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bedesworth research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1726 is included under the topic Early Bedesworth History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bedesworth Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Betsworth, Betesworth, Bettesworth, Betchworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Bedesworth family

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

Migration of the Bedesworth family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, travelling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bedesworth or a variant listed above: Francis Betsworth who settled in Virginia in 1780.

The Bedesworth 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: En Dieu est mon espoir
Motto Translation: In God is my hope.