Betteswithay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Betteswithay arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Betteswithay family lived in Surrey, where they held a family seat from very early times at the village of Betsworth.

Early Origins of the Betteswithay family

The surname Betteswithay was first found in Surrey where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. They were conjecturally descended from Richard FitzGilbert, a Norman noble who was granted the Old Mill and Church at Becesworde (Betchworth) at Betworth, later to become known as Betsworth in that shire. The Church still has eleventh century fragments and the Old Mill was rebuilt in the 16th century.

Early History of the Betteswithay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Betteswithay research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1726 is included under the topic Early Betteswithay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Betteswithay Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Betsworth, Betesworth, Bettesworth, Betchworth and many more.

Early Notables of the Betteswithay family

More information is included under the topic Early Betteswithay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Betteswithay family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Betteswithay name or one of its variants: Francis Betsworth who settled in Virginia in 1780.

The Betteswithay 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: En Dieu est mon espoir
Motto Translation: In God is my hope.