Show ContentsBentebow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Bentebow surname lie with the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name Bentebow began when someone in that family 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 Bentebow family

The surname Bentebow 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 Bentebow family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bentebow 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 Bentebow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bentebow Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Bentebow has appeared include Benbow, Bendbow, Benbowe, Bendbowe, Benbough, Bendebowe and many more.

Early Notables of the Bentebow 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 Bentebow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bentebow family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Bentebow arrived in North America very early: Ann Benbow who sailed to Virginia in 1652.



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


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