Show ContentsBeilby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Beilby family

The surname Beilby was first found in Yorkshire at Bielby or in Lincolnshire at Beelby. Belebi was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 1 and literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Beli," from the Viking personal name + "by." 2

Lincolnshire was the first record of the family; that of Walter de Beleby who was recorded in the Assize Rolls of 1202. Later, John de Beleby was recorded in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1372 and much later, Sicillia Beilby was registered as a Freeman of York in 1464. 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had entries for Robertus de Bilby; and Willelmus de Bilby who held lands there at that time. 4

Early History of the Beilby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beilby research. Another 111 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1544, 1600, 1635 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Beilby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beilby Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Beilby were recorded, including Beilby, Beelby, Beilbie, Bealbie, Beelbie, Beelbe, Belby and many more.

Early Notables of the Beilby family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Beilby family of Yorkshire

Migration of the Beilby family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Beilby family emigrate to North America: Adele Catherine Belby, aged 5, who arrived at Ellis Island from Nassau, Bahamas, in 1919; and Joe Belby, aged 38, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1918..


Contemporary Notables of the name Beilby (post 1700) +

  • Z. T. Beilby, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Florida, 1912, 1916, 1920 5
  • Ralph Beilby (1744-1817), English engraver, working chiefly on silver and copper from Durham, England 6
  • William Beilby (1740-1819), English glassworker from Durham, brother of Ralph Beilby
  • William Beilby FRCPE (1783-1849), British philanthropic physician in Edinburgh, born in Sheffield, he moved to Edinburgh to study medicine in 1813, Governor of the Dean Orphan Hospital in 1828 6
  • Julius Henry Beilby, Scottish banker, Chairman of the Clydesdale Bank, son of the physician William Beilby
  • Marcus Beilby (b. 1951), Australian realist painter, winner of the 1987 Sir John Sulman Prize for Australian Genre Painting
  • Sir George Thomas Beilby (1850-1924), British industrial chemist, eponym of The Beilby Medal and Prize
  • Beilby Thompson (1742-1799), British landowner and politician, Member of Parliament for Hedon (1768–1780), for Thirsk (1780–1784) and for Hedon (1790–1796)
  • Sir Beilby Alston GBE KCMG CB PC (1868-1929), British diplomat, Minister to Argentina and to Paraguay (1923–1925), Ambassador to Brazil (1925-1929)
  • Rev. Beilby Porteus (1731-1809), Bishop of London, a leading evangelical churchman and abolitionist


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 14 June. 2019


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