The name Belgrove is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the town of Belgrave in Leicestershire. The town was originally known as Merdegrave, meaning marten grove, but the name was changed after the Norman Conquest of England due to confusion of the first syllable with the Old French word merde, meaning filth. Appropriately, the name was changed to Belgrave, meaning beautiful grove.
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Early Origins of the Belgrove family
The surname Belgrove was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.
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Early History of the Belgrove family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Belgrove research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Belgrove History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Belgrove 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 Belgrove 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 Belgrove include: Belgrave, Bellgrave and others.
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Early Notables of the Belgrove family
More information is included under the topic Early Belgrove Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Belgrove family
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 Belgrove or a variant listed above: Christopher Belgrave who settled in Maryland in 1700; followed by Benjamin who settled there in 1740.
England
