Bawdewind History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The notable Bawdewind family arose among the Cornish People, a race with a rich Celtic heritage and an indomitable fighting spirit who inhabited the southwest of England. While surnames were well-known during the English medieval period, Cornish People originally used only a single name. The way in which hereditary surnames came into common use is interesting. As the population of medieval Europe multiplied, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Patronymic surnames were derived from given names and were the predominant type of surname among the Celtic peoples of Britain. However, the people of Cornwall provide a surprising exception to this rule, and patronymic surnames are less common among them than other people of Celtic stock, such as their Welsh neighbors. This is due to the greater influence of English bureaucracy and naming practices in Cornwall at the time that surnames first arose. This type of surname blended perfectly with the prevailing Feudal System. One feature that is occasionally found in Cornish surnames of this type is the suffix -oe or -ow; this is derived from the Cornish plural suffix -ow. is a patronymic surname that came from the ancient Germanic personal name Baldwin. Interestingly, the name Bawdewind was originally derived from the words bald, meaning bold, and wine, meaning friend or protector.

Early Origins of the Bawdewind family

The surname Bawdewind was first found in Cornwall, where they held a family seat from ancient times. 1

"The Sieur de Baudewin, whose name occurs on the Roll, became, after the battle of Hastings, Castellan of Montgomery, and from him that town acquired its Welsh appellation of Tre Faldwiri, or town of Baldwin. There scarcely exists a doubt that this Norman Chief was patriarch of the ancient and respectable Shropshire family of Bawdewin, or Baldwyn, of which was Thomas Baldwyn, Esq., of Diddlebury, who suffered imprisonment in the Tower of London, temp. Queen Elizabeth, and went through much suffering, as his epitaph, still remaining at Diddlebury, quaintly records." 2

Early History of the Bawdewind family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bawdewind research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1563 and 1632 are included under the topic Early Bawdewind History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bawdewind Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Bawden, Bawdin, Bawdewen, Bawdwin, Bawdewyn, Baudin and many more.

Early Notables of the Bawdewind family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Father William Bawden (1563-1632), who was an English Jesuit and schoolmaster who was implicated in the Gunpowder plot. He...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bawdewind Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bawdewind family

A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Bawdewind: J. Bawdin who settled in Louisiana in 1712; Theo H. Baudin settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1794; E. N. Baudin settled in Philadelphia in 1857..

Citations +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.