Binghame History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Binghame is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Binghame family lived at Bingham in the county of Nottinghamshire. The name of that place is derived from the Old Norse word bingr, meaning stall or manger, and the Old English word ham, meaning settlement or village. Another reference claims the family descended from "De Buisli, from Buisli or Builly, near Neûchatel, Normandy (often supposed to be of Saxon origin.)" 1 The same reference claims "Roger de Busliaco held 149 lordships in barony 1086, chiefly in York [Yorkshire] and Notts [Nottinghamshire], which were entitled the Honour of Tickhill. He also held Sutton, Somerset, from Roger de Arundel. One of his lordships was Bingham, Notts, and estate of great value and importance." 1 Whichever origin the reader chooses, there is no doubt that Norfolk was the stronghold of the family since ancient times.

Early Origins of the Binghame family

The surname Binghame was first found in Nottinghamshire at Bingham, a market town in the Rushcliffe borough that has existed since at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Bingheham 2 which probably meant "homestead of the family or followers of a man called Bynna" from the Old English personal name + ham. 3 "This place was possessed previously to the Conquest by two Saxon chieftains, and appears to have been anciently more extensive than at present: it had a college, or guild, in honour of St. Mary. " 4

One of the first records of the family was Simon Binham or Bynham (fl. 1335), English chronicler, a monk of the priory of Binham, Norfolk, one of the cells belonging to the abbey of St. Albans. 5

A few years later, William Binham or Bynham (fl. 1370), the English theologian, was a native of Binham in Norfolk, where there was a Benedictine priory dependent on the abbey of St. Albans. 5 One may presume that the above two people were related as they both came from the same priory, but there is no written proof.

Early History of the Binghame family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Binghame research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1246, 1300, 1528, 1573, 1584, 1599, 1606, 1607, 1615, 1625, 1639, 1645, 1654, 1658, 1659, 1662, 1668, 1673, 1682, 1689, 1692, 1714, 1723, 1890 and 1915 are included under the topic Early Binghame History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Binghame Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Bingham, Binham, Bingam, Binghame and others.

Early Notables of the Binghame family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Richard Bingham or Byngham (1528-1599), English Governor of Connaught, the third son of Richard Bingham, of Melcombe-Bingham, Dorsetshire. "In 1584, Bingham was appointed Governor of Connaught, and knighted at Dublin Castle by Lord-Deputy Perrot on 12 July. " 5 John Bingham (1607-1689), was an English divine, born at Derby, and as he was in his eighty-second year when he died in 1689...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Binghame Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Binghame family to Ireland

Some of the Binghame family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 148 words (11 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Binghame family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Binghame or a variant listed above: Thomas Bingham who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1673; William Bingham settled in Barbados in 1635; and John Bingham settled in Virginia in 1653..

The Binghame 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: Spes mea Christus
Motto Translation: Christ is my hope.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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