Bedel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Bedel comes from when the family resided in Bidwell, Hertfordshire. This place name derives from the Old English words "byde," meaning "tub," and "well," meaning a "spring," or "stream." Combined the name means "dweller by the spring or stream in a shallow valley." 1

Early Origins of the Bedel family

The surname Bedel was first found in Bedfordshire (Old English: Bedanfordscir), located in Southeast-central England, formerly part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, where Bidwell was said to be a picturesque hamlet lying to the north-west of Houghton village. 2 3 There is an early record of a Stephen de Bedewellin in Essex in the Calendar of the Close Rolls, in 1229. 1 Early records of the name mention Bidewell (without surname) documented in County Surrey in the Pipe Rolls of 1185. Stephen de Bedewell was recorded in the year 1229 in County Essex. Bedewell (without surname) appears in 1240 in County Essex and Bidewelle (without surname) was documented in 1330 in County Yorkshire. 1 William Bedewell of Yorkshire was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. 4

Early History of the Bedel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bedel research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1323, 1388, 1420, 1508, 1520, 1532, 1537, 1561, 1562, 1571, 1589, 1595, 1627, 1632, 1641, 1642, 1646, 1650, 1654 and 1656 are included under the topic Early Bedel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bedel Spelling Variations

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 Bedel include Bedwell, Bedwel, Bedewell, Bidwell, Bidewell and many more.

Early Notables of the Bedel family

Notables of the family at this time include

Henry Bedel (fl. 1571), was an English divine, and a native of Oxfordshire. 5

Bedel Ranking

In France, the name Bedel is the 3,623^rd most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Bedel family to Ireland

Some of the Bedel family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 162 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bedel migration to the United States +

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:

Bedel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Miss Marguerite Bedel, (b. 1762), aged 23, French settler traveling aboard the ship "Le Saint-Remi" arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana on 10th September 1785 7

Bedel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Adam Bedel, who settled in Philadelphia in 1848

Contemporary Notables of the name Bedel (post 1700) +

Wilfred M. Bedel, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Batesville, Indiana, 1956-61 8
Hazen Bedel, American politician, Member of New Hampshire Governor's Council, 1867-69 8

The Bedel 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: Semper Sec
Motto Translation: Always Thus

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. 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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
7 Ships Acadian Expedition of 1785 retrieved 4th October 2021 from http://www.acadian-cajun.com/7ships.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html