Contents [hide]

Beamish History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Canada New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Beamish History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Early Origins of the Beamish family

The surname Beamish was first found in Normandy where the family was formerly Beaumis, Beaumeys, or Beametz and are from Beaumetz, near Abbeville. Today this is a commune in the Somme department in the Picardie (Picardy) region of northern France. When they arrived in Britain is not known but one can safely assume shortly after the Conquest as Richard de Belmiz, Viscount of Salop (Shropshire) witnessed a charter in 1087 of Salop Abbey. Richards be Beaumez witnessed a charter of Henry I., in 1124. Richard be Belmiz was Bishop of London in 1172. 1

The stronghold of the family was in Durham at Beamish, a township, in the chapelry of Tanfield, parish of Chester-Le-Street, union of Lanchester, Middle division of Chester ward. The place name dates back to 1288 when it was first listed as Bewmys and literally meant "beautiful mansion." from the Old French words "beau" + "mes." 2 "It stands in the wooded vale of Team, which expands itself near the house of Beamish into a fine strath. The mansion, which contains some curious old portraits, is one of the best family residences in the county." 3 Beamish Hall was originally built as a present in 1268 for the wedding of Isabella de la Leigh and Guiscard de Charron.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: Robert de Beaumeis, alias Beaumeis in Cambridgeshire; Roger de Beaumes in Shropshire; and Agnes be Beaumeys in Huntingdonshire. 4

Again in Shropshire, we found Richard de Beames, de Belmes in the Pipe Rolls for 1191-1192. And later Robert de Beaumeis was found in the Feet of Fines for Huntingdonshire in 1208. 5

Early History of the Beamish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beamish research. Another 62 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1797, 1816, 1823, 1825, 1872 and 1950 are included under the topic Early Beamish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beamish Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Beamish occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Beamish, Beemish, Beames and others.

Early Notables of the Beamish family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

North Ludlow Beamish (1797-1872), military writer and antiquary, the son of William Beamish, Esq...
Beamish's professional abilities brought him to notice, and he received a half-pay majority in the following year...

Migration of the Beamish family to Ireland

Some of the Beamish family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beamish migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Beamish, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Beamish Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Beamish who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1832

Beamish migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Beamish Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Thomas Beamish, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1776

Beamish 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:

Beamish Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Nathaniel Beamish, aged 22, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
Richard Beamish, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1843 aboard the ship New York Packet
Nathaniel Beamish, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1850
John Beamish, aged 33, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1872
Ellen Beamish, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "City of Auckland" in 1872
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Beamish (post 1700) +

Percy Beamish, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1888 6
Francis Allen Beamish (1842-1895), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 20th District, 1871, 1878; Mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, 1884-86 6
Edgar T. Beamish, American politician, Mayor of Rockville Centre, New York, 1941-43; Defeated, 1943 6
Ken Beamish (b. 1947), English professional football player and manager
Sally Beamish (b. 1956), English viola player and composer
Rear Admiral Tufton Percy Hamilton Beamish (1874-1951), English naval officer and politician
North Ludlow Beamish (1797-1872), Irish military writer and antiquary, son of William Beamish, Esq., of Beaumont House, co. Cork 7
Harold Francis Beamish (1896-1936), New Zealand flying ace of World War I
Robert Earl Beamish (1916-2001), Canadian physician and cardiologist
Captain Tufton Victor Hamilton Beamish MC (1917-1989), Baron Chelwood, British Army officer and Member of Parliament

Citations +

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)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 6 June 2019