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![Show Contents]() Bileclyf History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancient roots of the Bileclyf family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Bileclyf comes from when the family lived in the village of Bilcliff, in the West Riding of the county of Yorkshire. The name of that place is derived from the Old English word bil, which originally referred to a sword or halberd. Early Origins of the Bileclyf familyThe surname Bileclyf was first found in Yorkshire, where one of the first records of the name was Thomas de Billeclyf who was listed there in 1308. Later, John Bilclif was listed in Yorkshire in 1617. 1 A very learned family, the Register of the University of Oxford has two early listings: Thomas Bilclif,1581; and Thomas Bilcliffe, Berkshire, 1615. 2 Early History of the Bileclyf familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bileclyf research. Another 236 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1308, 1500, 1615, 1617, 1661, 1663, 1668, 1788 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Bileclyf History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bileclyf Spelling VariationsOne 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 Bileclyf has appeared include Billcliffe, Bilcliffe, Billcliff, Bilcliff, Billeclyf, Bilclif and many more. Early Notables of the Bileclyf familyAnother 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bileclyf Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Bileclyf familyAt 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 Bileclyf arrived in North America very early: a number of settlers who arrived by the 19th century.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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