Bilnay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Bilnay family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the parish of Bilney in Norfolk. The name literally means the dweller by the stream.

Early Origins of the Bilnay family

The surname Bilnay was first found in Norfolk at East Bilney, a parish, in the union of Mitford and Launditch, hundred of Launditch. The place name literally means "island near a ridge," or "island of a man called Bil(l)a," from the Old English word "bile," or the Old English personal name. 1 West Bilney dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Bilenei 2 and East Bilney dates back to 1254 when it was first listed a Billney. "Thomas Bilney (c. 1495-1531), a learned divine, who was burnt at Norwich, in the year 1531, for preaching against popery, is said to have been born here." 3

"He was a member of a Norfolk family which took its name from the villages of the same designation in that county. Local historians assert that he was born either at East Bilney or Norwich; but these statements seem to rest on probability rather than definite evidence. " 4

Early History of the Bilnay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bilnay research. Another 267 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1199, 1202, 1216, 1273, 1288, 1327, 1495, 1500, 1531 and 1627 are included under the topic Early Bilnay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bilnay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bilnay include Bilney, Bilnie, Bylyne, Bilneye, Bilnye, Bilnay and others.

Early Notables of the Bilnay family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bilnay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bilnay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bilnay or a variant listed above: a number of settlers who arrived in the New World by the 19th century.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print