Bedow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

It was among those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain that the name Bedow was formed. The name was derived from the Welsh name ap-Eddow meaning son of Eddow. 1 Over time, this has changed to be known as Bedow.

Early Origins of the Bedow family

The surname Bedow was first found in Shropshire where one of the first records of the family was Bedo ap Richard, recorded in 1493. Later, Johanna Bedowe (1577) and John Beddoe (1641) were recorded. 2

Early History of the Bedow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bedow research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1577, 1578, 1621, 1650, 1674 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Bedow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bedow Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Bedow include Beddow, Beddoe, Bedoe, Bedow, Bedows, Bedlow and many more.

Early Notables of the Bedow family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Bedloe (1650-1680), "dishonest adventurer and 'evidence' in the Popish plot, was born on 20 April 1650, at midday, at Chepstow. We must receive with doubt whatever he reported of his family, his boastfulness and unveracity being notorious; but he 'always kept a diary of his most remarkable adventures for the space of ten years together...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bedow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bedow migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Bedow were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Bedow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Alice Bedow, who settled in Virginia in 1660
Andrew Bedow, who landed in America in 1660

Bedow migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 3

Bedow Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John Bedow, who settled in Barbados in 1660

The Bedow 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: Qui Invidet Minor Est
Motto Translation: He who envies is inferior

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies