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![Show Contents]() Belchem History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The Anglo-Saxon name Belchem comes from when the family resided in the parish of Belchamp in the county of Essex having derived from the Old English elements bel, which means fair, and champ, which means field. 1 Early Origins of the Belchem familyThe surname Belchem was first found in Essex, where Belchamp-Otton "derives the adjunct to its name from an ancient possessor called Otton, or Otho, who held it in the reign of Henry II., and whose descendant, Otho Fitz-William, was sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire for several successive years. " 2 Belchamp St. Paul's and Belchamp-Walter are also parishes in Essex. In Saxon times, they were collectively known as Bylcham c. 940. They was also two listing for the parishes in the Domesday Book of 1086: Belcham and Belcamp. 3 Early History of the Belchem familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belchem research. Another 297 words (21 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1500, 1508, 1537, 1583, 1661 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Belchem History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Belchem Spelling VariationsThe English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Belchem has been recorded under many different variations, including Belsham, Bellsham, Belshem, Belchamp, Bellchamp, Belesham and many more. Early Notables of the Belchem familyDistinguished members of the family include Thomas Belchiam (1508-1537), a Franciscan friar of the convent at Greenwich, who was imprisoned, with others of his brethren, for refusing to take the oath of the royal supremacy, and declaring the king (Henry VIII) to be a heretic. "He died in Newgate of starvation on 3 Aug. 1537. A copy of his...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belchem Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Belchem migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 4Belchem Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- John Belchem, who settled in Barbados in 1679
| Suggested Readings for the name Belchem | + |
- Belcher-Henshaw and Other Ancestry of Richard Townsend Henshaw, 1882-1938, of Rye, New York by Richard Townsend Henshaw.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
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Belchem migration to West Indies 
