Show ContentsBeise History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Beise

What does the name Beise mean?

The Beise family's name is originates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon personal name Bacga, Bacca having derived from the Old Northern English bæc or Old Norse bekk-rir, belonging to Back, or dweller by a Brook. 1 2 3

In some cases, the name is from the Dutch Bac, Bak; a personal name. 4 In other cases, the name is "sometimes synonymous with Beck, but more generally either [means] a wharf or a ferry where it is pluralized to Backs, whence Bax." 5

Early Origins of the Beise family

The surname Beise was first found in Somerset, where the name first appears as an Old English Byname, Godwine Bace c. 1055. Later, Richard Bac was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Cornwall in 1182 and Richard Backe in Suffolk in 1277. Kenry le Bak was found in Kent in 1297. 6

Again in Somerset, John atte Back was listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 7

Much later, we found two listing of the family in Scotland, Janet Back in Learbarmor, 1683 (Stirling), and George Back in Edinburgh, 1689. 8

Early History of the Beise family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beise research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1055, 1182, 1277, 1297, 1327, 1349, 1369, 1563, 1594, 1689, 1754, 1796 and 1878 are included under the topic Early Beise History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beise Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Beise has appeared include Back, Backe, Bace, Bac, Bak, Bache, Bax and others.

Early Notables of the Beise family

More information is included under the topic Early Beise Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Beise migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Beise arrived in North America very early:

Beise Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sophie Elisabeth Beise, aged 61, who landed in America in 1845 9
  • H G Beise, who arrived in New York in 1850 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Beise (post 1700) +

  • R. A. Beise, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1932 10


  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. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  5. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  8. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  9. 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)
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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