Show ContentsBishe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bishe comes from the ancient Norman culture that was established in Britain after the Conquest of 1066. It was a name for a a person who habitually dresses in drab or murky colors. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old English word bis, meaning dingy or murky.

Early Origins of the Bishe family

The surname Bishe was first found in Hertfordshire where they held a family seat from early times, soon after the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William in 1066 A.D. They were descended from Aluric Bysch, a Norman noble, who attended William at the Battle of Hastings.

Early History of the Bishe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bishe research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1615, 1679, 1712 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Bishe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bishe Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Bysh, Bish, Bishe, Byshe, Bisshe, Bysshe and others.

Early Notables of the Bishe family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Stapleton Bish, founder of Exeter College in Oxford; and Sir Edward Bysshe FRS (c. 1615-1679), an English barrister, politician and Garter King of Arms. He was the eldest son of Edward Bysshe of Burstow, Surrey, a barrister of Lincoln's Inn. His ancestors were lords...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bishe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


West Indies Bishe migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [1]
Bishe Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • James Bishe, who settled in Jamaica in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Bishe (post 1700) +

  • Kerry Bishé (b. 1984), American actress, best known for her role on the medical comedy Scrubs
  • Thomas Bishe, Barrister




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