Bellgrave History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bellgrave

What does the name Bellgrave mean?

Bellgrave is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having 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.

Early Origins of the Bellgrave family

The surname Bellgrave was first found in Suffolk, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Bellgrave family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bellgrave research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bellgrave History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bellgrave Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Bellgrave family name include Belgrave, Bellgrave and others.

Early Notables of the Bellgrave family

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

Migration of the Bellgrave family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Bellgrave surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Christopher Belgrave who settled in Maryland in 1700; followed by Benjamin who settled there in 1740.

The Bellgrave 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: Alev aplotevelv