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Bechier is one of the names carried to England in the great wave of migration from Normandy following the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is based on the Old Norse word which means good friends. The name appears in the oldest of all English plays The Mystery Plays. "Lo, here is the Belshere broght ye had bring". 1 A parochial name from Bellecourt, near Perrone in Normandy, it is believed to have arrived in England with the Norman Conquest and the name appears on the Roll of the Battel Abbey as Bellesur. 2
The surname Bechier was first found in Yorkshire, where the Assize Rolls of 1219 list Thomas Belcher as holding lands at that time. 3 A few years later, Richard Belcchere was listed in Gloucestershire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls listed John Belsire in Kent. 1
"Belcher has long been an Oxfordshire name. It was established in Enstone in the 16th and 17th centuries. William Belcher, yeoman, of Steeple Aston, presented his son, Thomas Belcher, to the incumbency of Westcot Barton in 1640. Samuel Belcher, apothecary, died at Deddington in 1668. " 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bechier research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1453, 1530, 1539, 1553, 1563, 1580, 1621, 1673, 1681, 1730, 1741, 1747, 1757 and 1783 are included under the topic Early Bechier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Belcher, Belsher, Belleser, Bellcher, Bellsher, Beleser, Bellesur, Bellecourt, Belcourt and many more.
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Jonathan Belcher (1681-1757), an American merchant, businessman, and politician, Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay (1730-1741), Governor of the Province of...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bechier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bechier or a variant listed above: Edward Belcher who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1630 and was made a freeman. Jeremy Belcher settled in Ipswick in 1631; after having made the voyage on the 'Susan and Ellen'. Andrew Belcher of Sudbury, Massachusetts settled in 1639. Finally Thomas Belcher settled in Wethersfield in 1640..