Belen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Spain

The ancestry of those bearing the name of Belen is rooted in an ancient Spanish landscape. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in Spain is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Belen is a nickname surname for a fair or handsome man. The surname was originally derived from the Latin adjective bellus, which means beautiful. The Belén, Bellon and other like variants are the Spanish name for Bethlehem and are frequently used as a forename.

Early Origins of the Belen family

The surname Belen was first found in Galicia, in the northwestern region of the Iberian peninsula.

Early History of the Belen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belen research. Another 97 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1064, 1540, 1660 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Belen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belen Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bello, Bella, Bellón, Bellon, Belloso and many more.

Early Notables of the Belen family

Prominent among members of the family Juan Bello de Guzmán, who was made a Knight of St. John in 1540, and Venezuelan lawyer, educator; Benito Bello de Torices (c. 1660-1714), a Spanish composer, maestro at the Convent of Las...
Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Belen family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Juan Bello, who sailed to Peru in 1584; Nuno Bello, who sailed to America in 1535; Domingo Bello, to Puerto Rico in 1860; and Angel Bello de Castro to Puerto Rico in 1860..

Contemporary Notables of the name Belen (post 1700) +

Marta Belen (1942-2005), born Martha Gradine Pinnell, an American opera singer
Samantha Belén, Spanish actress, known for Spell It Out in Neon, Area 407 (2012) and Dead End Falls (2009)
Ana Belén (b. 1951), born María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta, Spanish singer and actress, known for La corte de Faraón (1985), Fortunata y Jacinta (1980) and La pasión turca (1994)
Gelli De Belen (b. 1973), Philippine actress, known for The Secrets of Sarah Jane: Sana'y mapatawad mo (1994), Dear Diary (1989) and Asero (1995)
Janice De Belen (b. 1968), Philippine actress, known for Rosenda (1989), Big Night! (2021) and Mga mumunting lihim (2012), former wife of John Estrada
Ana Belen Montes (b. 1957), former senior analyst at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) in the United States