Show ContentsBadham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Badham is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a boatman. The surname Badham is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word bat, which means a boat. [1] In some cases, the name is also derived from the Old English word bate, which means one who contends, but this word is most often found as the root of the name Bater.

Early Origins of the Badham family

The surname Badham was first found in Herefordshire at Shobdon, a parish, in-the union of Leominster, hundred of Stretford. "The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £5. 7. 11.; net income, £764; patron, Lord Bateman. The church, which is the burial-place of the Bateman family, was partially rebuilt in 1757, by John, Viscount Bateman. The rent of several acres of land, and the proceeds of some minor benefactions, are distributed among the poor. " [2]

Old Hutton in Westmorland was another family seat. "Bleaze Hall, for several centuries the seat of the Batemans, was a large and elegant mansion, which still retains traces of its former consequence in a fine oak-wainscoted room, dated 1624." [2]

One of the first records of the family was William Bateman (1298?-1355), "Bishop of Norwich, who is also called, from his birthplace, William of Norwich. His father was one of the principal citizens of Norwich, having no less than eleven times filled the office of bailiff of the city (Norwich had no mayor till 1403), of which he sat as the representative in the parliament of 1326-1327." [3]

Early History of the Badham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Badham research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1298, 1355, 1480, 1560, 1573, 1584, 1626, 1644, 1663, 1687 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Badham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Badham Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Badham has appeared include Bateman, Batman, Bademan, Badman, Pateman, Padman, Pademan and many more.

Early Notables of the Badham family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Bateman (c.1298-1355), Bishop of Norwich and founder of Trinity College, Cambridge, who was sent to Avignon, to present the English King's claim to the French throne to the Pope; Robert Bateman (1560-1644), an English merchant and politician, London City Chamberlain (1626-1644); and...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Badham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Badham family to Ireland

Some of the Badham family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Badham migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Badham arrived in North America very early:

Badham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jon Badham, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 [4]
  • Margarett Badham, who arrived in Virginia in 1639 [4]
  • John Badham, who arrived in Virginia in 1639 [4]
Badham Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Arthur Badham, aged 15, who immigrated to the United States, in 1922
  • Arthur Badham, aged 15, who settled in America, in 1922
  • Arthur Badham, aged 16, who landed in America, in 1923

Australia Badham migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Badham Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

New Zealand Badham 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:

Badham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Ann Badham, (b. 1827), aged 43, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 [6]
  • Mr. Samuel Badham, (b. 1834), aged 36, British farm labourer travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 [6]
  • Mr. Alfred Badham, (b. 1861), aged 9, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 [6]
  • Mr. Thomas Badham, (b. 1863), aged 7, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 [6]
  • Mary Badham, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1880

Contemporary Notables of the name Badham (post 1700) +

  • John Badham (b. 1939), English-American film director
  • Mary Badham (b. 1952), American child actress best known for her portrayal of Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird, for which she was nominated for a best supporting actress Academy Award
  • V. C. Badham, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from South Carolina, 1916, 1924
  • Robert Edward Badham (1929-2005), American Republican politician, Served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict; Hardware business; Member of California State Assembly, 1963-67; U.S. Representative from California 40th District, 1977-89
  • Margaret Tyson Badham, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Alabama, 1972
  • Molly Badham (1914-2007), English zoologist
  • Jack Badham (1919-1992), English footballer
  • Edward Badham (b. 1860), English police sergeant involved in the investigation of the Jack the Ripper murders
  • Charles Badham (1813-1884), English-Australian academic

HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Marshall Badham, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking [7]


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html


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