Show ContentsBeeby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Beeby Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Beeby

What does the name Beeby mean?

The name Beeby 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." 1

The Domesday Book of 1086, records the parish as "Bebi." 2

Early Origins of the Beeby family

The surname Beeby was first found in Leicestershire, England at Beeby, 3 a parish, in the union of Barrow-upon-Soar, hundred of East Goscote 4 where John de Beby was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327. In Yorkshire, the first record there was that of Richard Bebie who was a Freeman of York in 1596. Robert Beeby was later listed in Suffolk in 1674. 5

"The Beebys originally took their name from a Leicestershire parish. In the reign of Henry III., Hugh de Beby was rector of Willoughby Waterless, and William de Beby was rector of Claybrook (N.). Between the reigns of Edward III. and Henry V., four mayors of Leicester bore the name of Bebye, or Beebye, or De Beby (T.). William Beeby was a Gaddesby freeholder in the time of Charles I.; Richard Beeby and Elizabeth Hubbert were married in Belgrave church in the reign of Charles II.; in the middle of last century Francis Beeby was a proprietor of land in Fleckney and a family of the name then lived at Shenton (N.). The name is still in the city of Leicester." 6

Early History of the Beeby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beeby research. Another 179 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1744, 1760, 1775, 1840, 1889, 1922, 1963 and 1986 are included under the topic Early Beeby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beeby Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Beeby 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. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Beeby include: Beeby, Beebee, Beebe, Bebe, Beebey and others.

Early Notables of the Beeby family

Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beeby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beeby migration to the United States +

Many 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 Beeby or a variant listed above:

Beeby Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jo Beeby, aged 17, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Speedwell" 8
  • William Beeby, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 aboard the ship "Tristram and Jane" 8

Beeby migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. Moses Beeby, (Buby, Bibbe), (d. 1791), British settler convicted in Lancashire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Beeby Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Beeby migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Beeby Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Charles H. Beeby, British settler travelling from London, UK with 1 child aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 11
  • Miss Mary A. Beeby, British settler travelling from London, UK with 1 child aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 11
  • Miss Fanny Beeby, British settler travelling from London, UK with 1 child aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 11
  • Miss Mary Ann Beeby, British settler travelling from London, UK with 1 child aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 11
  • Miss Elizabeth A. Beeby, British settler travelling from London, UK with 1 child aboard the ship "Assaye" arriving in Auckland, North Island, New Zealand on 26th December 1874 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Beeby (post 1700) +

  • Thomas H. Beeby (b. 1941), American architect, member of the "Chicago Seven" architects, awarded the Driehaus Prize (2013)
  • Augustus "Gus" Beeby (b. 1889), former English footballer who played from 1909 to 1912
  • Richard Beeby (b. 1962), English football referee
  • Bruce Edward Beeby (1921-2013), Australian actor, probably best known for portraying "Mitch" Mitchell in the 1950s BBC radio serials Journey Into Space
  • George Beeby (1904-1977), British racehorse trainer
  • Clarence Edward "C.E." Beeby ONZ, CMG (1902-1992), New Zealand educator, Professor at the University of New Zealand (1923-1934), Ambassador to France
  • George Stephenson Beeby KBE (1869-1942), Australian politician, judge and author

The Beeby 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: Se defendendo
Motto Translation: In his own defence.
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  8. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html

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