The Anglo-Saxon name Beckworde comes from when the family resided at Beckwith in the Yorkshire parish of Pannal, and it is from this location that the name Beckworde is derived. The distinguished name Beckworde is derived from the Old English word bece, which means beech, and the Old Norse word vior, which means wood. Thus the surname Beckworde indicates the proximity of the town to a grove of beech trees. [1] The name of Beckwith is said to have been changed from Malbie in the 12th century. [2]
The surname Beckworde was first found in Yorkshire, where "most of the armigerous families of the name spring from, and Beckwith, a hamlet in the parish of Pannal, in that county, is probably the cradle of the race. " [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beckworde research. Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beckworde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Beckworde include Beckwith, Beckworth, Beckworthe and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Beckworde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Sir Marmaduke Beckwith of Aldborough who settled in Richmond County, Virginia in 1748; but he had been preceded by Matthew Beckwith who settled in Connecticut in 1635.