Show ContentsBawynne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bawynne was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bawynne family lived in Suffolk, where soon after the Norman Conquest, the village of Eston-Bavent was named after this illustrious family. Originally the name comes from the hamlet of Bavant (Bavent) in the Caen region of Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Bawynne family

The surname Bawynne was first found in Suffolk, where the family gave its name to the village of Eston-Bavent after the Conquest. The name was originally associated with the hamlet of Bavent in the Caen region of France.

"Picot de Bavet is entered as holding one knight's fee in Norfolk of William de Albini. It was derived from Bavent, lying on the Dive, a little south of Varaville, in Normandy." 2

"Another Norfolk mesne-lord appears in the Liber Niger, Hubert de Baduent, an undertenant of the Honour of Rie. From him descended Adam de Bavent, who in the following century obtained through his wife a share of the estate of William de Wiston in Sussex, and was the father of another Adam, married to Alice de Scudamore. The latter had died before 1292, when the wardship of his son Roger was in dispute between the King and William de Say; and the contest was revived fourteen years afterwards by William's son Geoffrey; the young heir being then still under age. Roger de Bavent came from Sussex to the coronation of Edward II. " 2

Peter Babyon, Babyo, or Babion (fl. 1317-1366), was an English poet and divine in the reign of Edward II, by birth an Englishman. 3

Early History of the Bawynne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bawynne research. Another 263 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1216, 1272, 1273, 1307, 1500, 1552, 1559, 1586, 1619 and 1626 are included under the topic Early Bawynne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bawynne Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval 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. The name has been spelled Bavent, Baven, Bavin, Bauvent, Bavvent, Bavant and many more.

Early Notables of the Bawynne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Walter de Bavent, a prominent 13th century landholder in Lincolnshire.William Bavand (fl. 1559), having been educated at Oxford, became a student in the Middle Temple, and published in 1559 'A work touching the...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bawynne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bawynne family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Bawynne or a variant listed above: Mary Bavin who arrived in Virginia in 1650 and Thomas Bavin in 1750.



  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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