Belsher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Belsher is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Belsher family when they emigrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Belsher comes from the Old Norse word which means good friends. The name appears in the oldest of all English plays The Mystery Plays. "Lo, here is the Belshere broght ye had bring". 1 A parochial name from Bellecourt, near Perrone in Normandy, it is believed to have arrived in England with the Norman Conquest and the name appears on the Roll of the Battel Abbey as Bellesur. 2

Early Origins of the Belsher family

The surname Belsher was first found in Yorkshire, where the Assize Rolls of 1219 list Thomas Belcher as holding lands at that time. 3 A few years later, Richard Belcchere was listed in Gloucestershire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls listed John Belsire in Kent. 1

"Belcher has long been an Oxfordshire name. It was established in Enstone in the 16th and 17th centuries. William Belcher, yeoman, of Steeple Aston, presented his son, Thomas Belcher, to the incumbency of Westcot Barton in 1640. Samuel Belcher, apothecary, died at Deddington in 1668. " 4

Early History of the Belsher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belsher research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1453, 1530, 1539, 1553, 1563, 1580, 1621, 1673, 1681, 1730, 1741, 1747, 1757 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Belsher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belsher Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Belsher were recorded, including Belcher, Belsher, Belleser, Bellcher, Bellsher, Beleser, Bellesur, Bellecourt, Belcourt and many more.

Early Notables of the Belsher family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Jonathan Belcher (1681-1757), an American merchant, businessman, and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (1730-1741), Governor of the Province of...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belsher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Belsher family to Ireland

Some of the Belsher family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Belsher migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Belsher arrived in North America very early:

Belsher Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jeremy Belsher, who landed in America in 1635 5

Belsher migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Belsher Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edwin Belsher, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Duke of Wellington" 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Belsher (post 1700) +

Darcy Belsher, American actor, known for We All Fall Down (2000), The Colt (2005) and The Guilty (2000)
Merlis Belsher, Canadian benefactor who gave 12.25 million to the University of Saskatchewan for the construction of a new ice facility in 2016
Douglas Ross Belsher (1933-2003), Canadian politician who represented the British Columbia riding of Fraser Valley East in 1984 through 1988

The Belsher 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: Loyal au mort
Motto Translation: Faithful unto death.

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)
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The DUKE OF WELLINGTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Duke%20of%20Wellington.htm