Beechcroft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Beechcroft family

The surname Beechcroft was first found in Yorkshire, where the name is derived from the Old English words "beo" + "croft," (a small field) collectively meaning "dweller at the bee-croft." 1

Another source notes the name could have been derived from a geographical locality as "at the berecroft," or "at the barley-croft." The surname is "evidently a Yorkshire local surname as no instances [were found] in the London church registers printed by the Harleian Society." 2

The first records of the family were Walter de Bercroft and Matilda Bercroft who were listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as holding lands at that time in Yorkshire.

Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Johannes de Bercroft; and Willelmus de Bercroft. 2

"Mere Hall, [Hanbury, Worcestershire] built in 1333, is a beautiful specimen of half-timbered architecture, presenting a very picturesque appearance." 3 This branch lived in Hanbury from at least 1412 and owned much of the land in the south of the parish until the middle of the twentieth century. Mere Hall was passed to Edward Henry Longcroft, whose grandmother was a Bearcroft in 1820.

Early History of the Beechcroft family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beechcroft research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1412, 1587, 1697, 1700, 1710, 1716, 1717, 1718, 1719, 1761, 1820 and 1822 are included under the topic Early Beechcroft History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beechcroft Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Beechcroft occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Beecroft, Becroft, Becraft, Bearcroft and others.

Early Notables of the Beechcroft family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was Philip Bearcoft (1697-1761), English antiquary, descended from an ancient Worcestershire family, was born at Worcester on 1 May 1697. "In 1716 he took his B.A. degree, in...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beechcroft Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Beechcroft family

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Beechcroft, or a spelling variation of the surname include: E. J. Beecraft arrived in San Francisco, California, in 1750.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.