The name Bebe was derived from a place name in Leicestershire called Beeby. The place name is derived from the Old English "beo," meaning "bee," and "byr," or "settlement." That is, it was "the place where they kept bees."
The surname Bebe was first found in Leicestershire where they had been settled since ancient times before the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bebe research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1775, 1840, and 1889 are included under the topic Early Bebe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Bebe has been recorded under many different variations, including Beeby, Beebee, Beebe, Bebe, Beebey and others.
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bebe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bebe or a variant listed above: