| ![Show Contents]() Bedwel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of BedwelWhat does the name Bedwel mean? In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Bedwel surname lived 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 Bedwel familyThe surname Bedwel 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 Bedwel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bedwel 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 Bedwel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bedwel Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bedwel are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bedwel include: Bedwell, Bedwel, Bedewell, Bidwell, Bidewell and many more. Early Notables of the Bedwel family- William Bedwell (1561-1632), Vicar of Tottenham, Middlesex, an English priest and scholar, who specialized in mathematics and foreign languages and Thomas Bedwell, who held the position of "Storekeepe...
- William Bedwell (d. 1632), was nephew of "Thomas Bedwell, and father of Arabic studies in England, was born in 1561 or 1562, for his tombstone in the chancel of Tottenham church makes him aged 70 at h...
Migration of the Bedwel family to IrelandSome of the Bedwel 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. Migration of the Bedwel familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bedwel or a variant listed above: John Bedwell, who came to Somers Islands in 1662; Elizabeth Bedwell, who arrived in Virginia in 1664; Hugh Bidwell, who arrived in South Carolina sometime between 1670 and 1679.
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
- 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)
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