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![Show Contents]() Balkwell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Balkwell reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Balkwell family lived in Derbyshire, in the town of Bakewell. Early Origins of the Balkwell familyThe surname Balkwell was first found in Derbyshire, at Bakewell, today a small market town in the Peak District. The town dates back to at least Anglo Saxon times when it was listed as Balecanwell in 949. By the time of the Domesday Book, the place was listed as Badequella and was derived from an Old English personal name + wella meaning "spring or stream of a man called Badeca." 1 At that time, King Edward had 18 carucates of land to the geld and the land was large enough to hold 18 ploughs. There was one mill, one church and one lead mine with 80 acres of meadows. 2 Bakewell Castle in the town of Bakewell was a motte and bailey castle built in the 12th century that was razed to the ground during the English Civil War; now only ruins can be seen. John de Bankwell, Bakwell, or Banquelle (d. 1308), was an early English judge, "appointed in 1297 to travel the forests in Essex, Huntingdon, Northampton, Rutland, Surrey, and Sussex, for the purpose of enforcing the observance of the forest laws of Henry III." 3 Roger de Bankwell (fl. 1340), the English judge, was "perhaps of the same family as John de Bankwell, and was one of three commissioners entrusted with the assessment of the tallage in the counties of Nottingham and Derby in 1333." 3 Early History of the Balkwell familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balkwell research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1618, 1650, 1654, 1665, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1701, 1708 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Balkwell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Balkwell Spelling VariationsBefore the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Balkwell family name include Bakewell, Backwell, Bakwell, Balkwell, Balkwill, Backwall, Bakewill, Bagwell and many more. Early Notables of the Balkwell familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Robert Bakewell of the Old Hall; Edward Backwell (ca. 1618-1683), an English goldsmith, financier, and politician, often referred to as "the principal founder of the banking system in England", and "far and away the best documented banker of his time"; and his son, John Backwell...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balkwell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Balkwell family to Ireland
Some of the Balkwell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Balkwell migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Balkwell family to immigrate North America:
Balkwell Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Thomas Balkwell who settled in New England in 1750
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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Balkwell migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
