| ![Show Contents]() Beldam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Early Origins and Etymology of BeldamThe surname Beldam was first found in various places named Belton in Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Rutland, Norfolk and Suffolk. 1 The place name literally means "farmstead in a glade or on a dry ground in a marsh," from the Old English "bel," + "tun." 2 The Domesday Book of 1086 has early entries and spellings used at that time: Beltone, Lincolnshire and Beletuna, Norfolk. 3 Like the others, these place names evolved over the centuries to be named Belton. Attesting to the "marsh" origin above, we found this interesting entry: "At the hamlet of Sandtoft [in the parish of Belton, Lincolnshire], a church was built for the Dutch and French Protestants brought over by Cornelius Vermuyden, in the reign of Charles II., to assist in draining the marshes. In opposition to this undertaking, serious riots occurred: the church was materially injured, and soon fell into decay. The females of the hamlet who intermarried with the strangers retained their maiden names after marriage, not choosing to adopt those of their foreign husbands." 4 Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. In Norfolk, we found Hamon de Belton, 1257; and John de Belton, rector of Ovington, Norfolk, 1366. 5 Henry de Belton, pistor was a Feeman of York, 17 Edward II (during the seventeenth year of King Edward II's reign.) And the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: John de Beletun, Suffolk; Gervase de Belton, Suffolk; and Nicholas de Belton, Suffolk. 6 To the north in Scotland, the name had a similar origin, but originated in "Belton, in the parish of Dunbar, formerly itself an ancient parish. Henry de Beletun granted a charter of his lands of Kingissete (Kingside) to the monks of Melrose, 1231. John de Belton was one of the garrison of Edinburgh Castle in 1312." 7 The "p" as in Pelton and the "b" as in Belton were interchangeable in Scotland and England. Early History of the Beldam familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beldam research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1231, 1312, 1775 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Beldam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Beldam Spelling VariationsDuring the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Beldam occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Belton, Beltone, Beleton, Beldan, Belden, Belston, Belting, Beldon and many more. Early Notables of the Beldam familyMore information is included under the topic Early Beldam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Beldam family to IrelandSome of the Beldam family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 35 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Beldam migration to the United States | + |
Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Beldam, or a spelling variation of the surname include:
Beldam Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Jon Beldam, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 9
| Beldam migration to Canada | + |
Beldam Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century- E F M Beldam, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
- J N Beldam, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
| Beldam migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: First Fleet - Mr. Samuel Beldam, (b. 1756), aged 33, British settler convicted in Isle of Ely, Cambridge, England in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for fraud, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 8
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. 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)
- 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)
- Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
- 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)
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