Bilton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Bilton is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in one of several places called Bilton in the counties of Northumberland, Warwickshire, Essex, or Yorkshire.

Early Origins of the Bilton family

The surname Bilton was first found in Yorkshire at Bilton, a chapelry, in the parish of Swine, union of Skirlaugh, Middle division of the wapentake of Holderness. "This place, called in Domesday Book Biletone, at an early period gave name to a family resident here." 1 As previous mentioned, there are numerous places name Bilton and part of the reason is that the place name literally means "farmstead of a man called Bill or Billa." 2 Bilston(e) is similarly popular with places in Staffordshire and Leicestershire.

Early History of the Bilton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bilton research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1650 is included under the topic Early Bilton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bilton 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 Bilton were recorded, including Bilton, Biltoune, Bilston, Bilson, Bilsden and many more.

Early Notables of the Bilton family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

George Bilton

Bilton migration to the United States +

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 Bilton family emigrate to North America:

Bilton Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr.. W.H. Bilton, aged 62, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1904
Marie Bilton, aged 48, who landed in America from Sheffield, in 1905
John H. Bilton, aged 35, who landed in America from Doncaster, in 1906
Edwin D. Bilton, aged 43, who settled in America from Middlesboro, England, in 1913
Henry Bilton, aged 32, who immigrated to America, in 1917
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bilton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bilton Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Naomi Bilton, aged 31, who immigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1906
John Egbert C Bilton, aged 34, who settled in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1913
Fred A. Bilton, aged 41, who settled in Calgary, Canada, in 1924

Bilton migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bilton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. J. Bilton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gananoque" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 9th May 1860 3
Miss Mary Bilton, (b. 1870), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Monarch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1870 3
Mrs. Isabella Bilton, (b. 1838), aged 32, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Monarch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1870 3
Mr. Robert Bilton, (b. 1840), aged 30, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Monarch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1870 3
Mr. John Robert Bilton, (b. 1869), aged 1, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Monarch" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 6th September 1870 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Bilton (post 1700) +

John Michael Bilton, English football coach and former player
Michael Bilton (1919-1993), English television actor
Percy Bilton, English Company Chairman and Philanthropist
Alan Bilton, British academic and novelist
James H. Bilton (1908-1988), English-born, Canadian politician in Manitoba

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html