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Show ContentsBamfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The lineage of the name Bamfield begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in one of two villages called Bamfyld in the counties of Devon and Somerset. The place names literally mean "dweller at a field where beans grew." 1 2

Early Origins of the Bamfield family

The surname Bamfield was first found in Devon, at Poltimore where John Baumfield was the original ancestor of this family having been granted lands there during the reign of Edward I. His pedigree can be traced for three generations before that period. 3 The family were bequeathed the manor of Poltimore in 1298 by William Pontyngton, Canon of Exeter Cathedral. Today Poltimore House is a 18th-century country house having gone through many changes from the original grant. The current iteration of Poltimore House was built by Richard Bampfylde (d.1595) about 1550 or so.

Banwell is a village and civil parish on the River Banwell in the North Somerset and dates back to Saxon times when it was first listed as Bananwylle in 904. 4

By the time the Domesday Book of 1086, the place name has evolved to being known as Banwelle. 5 "The manor has been in the possession of the bishops of Bath and Wells since the time of Edward the Confessor. A monastery was founded at Banwell by one of the early Saxon kings, to the abbacy of which Alfred the Great appointed Asser." 6

"The Bampfyldes have been settled at Poltimore, [East Devon] since the reign of Edward I., and entered the ranks of the baronetage in 1641. Sir John Bampfylde became for a time Governor on behalf of the Parliament of the town of Plymouth, and his son, Sir Copleston Bampfylde, took a leading part in the restoration of Charles II. The family were raised to the peerage as Barons Poltimore in 1831. Among the houses with which the Bampfyldes are allied, or whom they represent, are Pederton, St. Maure, Copleston, Codrington, and Gorges. " 7

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on on a phonetic appreciation of the names. Richard de Bamfeld was found in Hertfordshire in 1272 and Thomas Bamfeld was found here in 1462. Matthew Bampfeld was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1492 and laster, John Bampfyld was registered in Devon in 1642. 8

Early History of the Bamfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bamfield research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1272, 1462, 1492, 1560, 1575, 1581, 1582, 1585, 1597, 1621, 1622, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1633, 1642, 1658, 1659, 1671, 1679, 1683, 1685, 1692, 1752 and 1766 are included under the topic Early Bamfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bamfield Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Bamfield has undergone many spelling variations, including Bamfield, Bammfield, Bramfield, Bamfeld, Bampfeld, Bampfield, Banfilde, Bampfild, Bampfyld, Bamfeild, Banfield and many more.

Early Notables of the Bamfield family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Richard de Bamfield, a prominent 13th century landholder in Hertfordshire; Sir Amyas Bampfylde (1560-1626), an English Member of Parliament, Member of Parliament for Devon (1597); his son, John Bampfi...

United States Bamfield migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Bamfield were among those contributors:

Bamfield Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • C. Bamfield, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
  • R.G. Bamfield, aged 27, who landed in America, in 1896
Bamfield Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Thomas Calomati Bamfield, aged 44, who settled in America from Bristol, England, in 1913
  • Ela Bamfield, aged 24, who immigrated to America from Sydney, Australia, in 1914
  • Joseph C. Bamfield, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1919
  • John C. Bamfield, aged 25, who landed in America, in 1920
  • Charles Bamfield, aged 24, who landed in America from Casteres, St. Lucia, in 1920

Canada Bamfield migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bamfield Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • William H. Bamfield, aged 80, who immigrated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1923

Australia Bamfield migration to Australia +

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

Bamfield Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Samuel Bamfield, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • Mr. Thomas Bamfield, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
  • Mr. John Bamfield, (Sarah Steel), (b. 1812), aged 23, English gardener who was convicted in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Aurora" on 18th June 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), died in 1858 11
  • Mr. Alexander Bamfield, (b. 1819), aged 30, Cornish farm labourer travelling aboard the ship "Labuan" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 11th February 1849 12
  • Mrs. Rachel Bamfield, (b. 1817), aged 32, English settler from Guernsey, UK travelling aboard the ship "Labuan" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 11th February 1849 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Bamfield 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:

Bamfield Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • H. Bamfield, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Excelsior" in 1870 13
  • Miss Emily Bamfield, (b. 1851), aged 24, Cornish tailoress departing on 21st February 1875 aboard the ship "White Rose" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 21st July 1875 14
  • Mrs. Mary Bamfield, (b. 1854), aged 21, Cornish settler departing on 21st February 1875 aboard the ship "White Rose" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 21st July 1875 14
  • Mr. Thomas Bamfield, (b. 1853), aged 22, Cornish miner departing on 21st February 1875 aboard the ship "White Rose" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 21st July 1875 14

Contemporary Notables of the name Bamfield (post 1700) +

  • William Eddy Bamfield, English government agent adopted name (Banfield) by local indigenous people for an area now known as Bamfield, British Columbia
  • Clifford Bamfield, Under-Secretary of the Civil Service Department of Britain
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  6. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  7. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
  8. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th August 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/aurora
  12. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 4th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
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