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The ancestors of the Beatam family may have been Viking settlers. Their surname comes from a place name of Norse origins, from when they lived in Beetham in Cumbria. This place name is thought to come from the Old Norse "beth," meaning "embankment." 1 The parish was recorded as Biedum in the Domesday Book and at that time in Yorkshire and was land held by Roger de Poitou. 2 More recently, the parish had a population of 1,724 in the 2001 census. Interestingly, "in digging a grave near one of the pillars in the nave of the Church [of Beetham], in Aug. 1834, upwards of 100 silver coins, chiefly of the reigns of William the Conqueror and his son William Rufus, with a few of Edward the Confessor and Canute the Dane, were discovered." 3
The surname Beatam was first found in Cumbria at Beetham, a parish, in the union and ward of Kendal, historically in Westmorland. 3
However, some of family were well established further south at Warton in Lancashire at early times. "Warton appears to have belonged to the lord of WoodPlumpton, by intermarriage with whose heiress the Betham family became connected with the property. The last of the Bethams was Roger, whose daughter married Sir Robert Middleton, of Leighton, in the reign of Richard III." 3
Placita de Quo Warranto listed Richard de Betham, Norfolk, 20 Edward I (in the 20th year of King Edward I's reign.) 4
Ralph de Betham, was a benefactor to Furness Abbey during the reign of Henry II. 5 Ralph de Bethum was listed in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland in 1279; Robert de Bethum, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379; and Stephen Betham, was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1541. 6
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beatam research. Another 88 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1599, 1632, 1642, 1659, 1665, 1684 and 1709 are included under the topic Early Beatam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Standards against which to judge the accuracy of spellings and translations did not yet exist in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations in names dating from that era, are thus, an extremely common occurrence. Beatam has been recorded as Betham, Beetam, Beetham, Beatam, Beatham, Beetem, Beedham and many more.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beatam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The New World was far from the oppressive regime of the old country. It was a place where there was more land than people and political and religious freedom were far easier to come by. Many Scots even got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. In recent years, interest in this heritage has been generated by Clan societies and regular highland games in North America. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Beatam name: Richard Beetham who settled in Virginia in 1720.