Bendbow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The saga of the name Bendbow follows a line reaching back through history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for someone who worked as a person employed as an archer which is derived from the Old English words bend, which means to bend, and bowe which means bow. 1

Early Origins of the Bendbow family

The surname Bendbow was first found in the North Riding of Yorkshire, where they family came descent from Benningbrough, a township, in the parish of Newton-upon-Ouse, union of York, wapentake of Bulmer. 2 3

Another source claims "Benbow is the name of an ancient Shropshire family, to which belonged Colonel Benbow, a zealous Royalist, who met his death at Shrewsbury in 1651 for corresponding with the King; from this stock also came Admiral Benbow, who was born, at Cotton Hill, Shrewsbury, in 1650. " 4

Early History of the Bendbow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bendbow research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1349, 1440, 1545, 1585, 1607, 1623, 1653, 1681, 1702, 1708, 1729 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Bendbow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bendbow 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 Bendbow were recorded, including Benbow, Bendbow, Benbowe, Bendbowe, Benbough, Bendebowe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bendbow family

Distinguished members of the family include Rear-Admiral John Benbow (1653-1702), whose most famous exploit took place in August 1702 when he kept up a running fight for four days with a French squadron off St Marta in the West Indies after being deserted by most of his fleet, eponym of three Royal Navy ships. The 256797 Benbow main belt asteroid was named after the Admiral Benbow Inn, a tavern in Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 novel Treasure Island. His son, John Benbow (c.1681-1708), was an English...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bendbow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bendbow 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 Bendbow family emigrate to North America: Ann Benbow who sailed to Virginia in 1652.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.