The ancient history of the Beckworthe name begins with the ancient
Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided at Beckwith in the
Yorkshire parish of Pannal, and it is from this location that the name Beckworthe is derived. The distinguished name Beckworthe is derived from the Old English word
bece, which means
beech, and the Old Norse word
vior, which means
wood. Thus the surname Beckworthe indicates the proximity of the town to a grove of beech trees.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8) The name of Beckwith is said to have been changed from
Malbie in the 12th century.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.Early Origins of the Beckworthe family
The surname Beckworthe 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]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Early History of the Beckworthe family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beckworthe research.
Another 115 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beckworthe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Beckworthe Spelling Variations
Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently,
Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of
spelling variations. Changes in
Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Beckworthe include Beckwith, Beckworth, Beckworthe and others.
Early Notables of the Beckworthe family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Beckworthe Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Beckworthe family to the New World and Oceana
Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Beckworthe or a variant listed above: 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.
The Beckworthe Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Jouir en bien
Motto Translation: To enjoy innocent