The chronicles of the Balingghan family suggest that their ancestors may have been Viking settlers. Their surname comes from a place name of Norse origins, from when they lived in the manor of Bellingham in
Northumberland, where the family held this estate since the early Middle Ages. By trade, the family was traditionally foresters, and principally cared for the forest of Tynedale, "for tyme beyond memory". The name literally means "homestead of the dwellers at the bell-shaped hill" and is derived from the Old English words Bell+ ing + ham.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)Early Origins of the Balingghan family
The surname Balingghan was first found in Bellingham,
Northumberland, where Alan of Bellingham was Lord of the manor shortly after the
Norman Conquest in 1066.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. Early records show that there were perpetual feuds between Alan de Bellingham and the Charltons of Hasleyside. It seems that the Charletons were the victor as while they have a mansion near the town, the Bellinghams have pretty much disappeared from the county. Henry Bellingham of Bellingham was made Knight Banneret by King Henry VI after the battle of Wakefield.
Billingham Manor (or Billingham House) is a manor house in Chillerton, on the Isle of Wight that dates back to 1631.
Early History of the Balingghan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balingghan research.
Another 229 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1597, 1592, 1672, 1605, 1506, 1549, 1511, 1548, 1950 and 1958 are included under the topic Early Balingghan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Balingghan Spelling Variations
The spellings of Scottish names dating from the medieval era often bear little resemblance to those seen today. They vary enormously because scribes in that time spelled according to their ears. Some
spelling variations of the name Balingghan include Bellingham, Bellinghame, Belingham, Belinghame, Billingham and many more.
Early Notables of the Balingghan family (pre 1700)
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balingghan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Balingghan family to Ireland
Some of the Balingghan family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 266 words (19 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 Balingghan family to the New World and Oceana
The farms of Scottish settlers soon dotted the east coast of the colonies that would become the nations of the United States and Canada. Many of those migrants and their children went on to play important roles in the founding the great nations of North America. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Scottish name Balingghan or a variant listed above, including: Richard and William Bellingham who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1630; Robert Bellingham arrived in San Francisco, Cal. in 1850; Mary Billingham settled in Maryland in 1741.
The Balingghan 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: Ainsi il est
Motto Translation: Thus it is.