Show ContentsBellman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The descendants of the clans of the ancient Scottish tribe known as the Picts were the first to use the name Bellman. It was a name for a bellman or town crier.

Early Origins of the Bellman family

The surname Bellman was first found in Caithness (Gaelic: Gallaibh), the northern tip of Scotland, a Norse/Viking controlled region from the 9th century, which became the Earldom of Caithness, where they had been settled from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Bellman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bellman research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1398, 1505, 1663 and 1735 are included under the topic Early Bellman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bellman Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Bellman has been spelled Bellman, Beelman, Belman, Bellmon and others.

Early Notables of the Bellman family

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

Bellman Ranking

In the United States, the name Bellman is the 11,917th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Bellman migration to the United States +

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Bellman:

Bellman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Christian Bellman who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1732

Bellman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bellman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. William Bellman U.E. who settled in New Brunswick c. 1783 2

Bellman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bellman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Bellman, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 24th March 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • Mr. Vincent Bellman, (b. 1808), aged 31, Cornish plaster travelling aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 30th September 1839 4
  • Mrs. Jane Bellman, (b. 1809), aged 30, Cornish dressmaker travelling aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 30th September 1839 4
  • Mr. Bolliver Bellman, (b. 1835), aged 4 years 6 months, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 30th September 1839 4
  • Mr. William Bellman, (b. 1837), aged 2, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 30th September 1839 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bellman (post 1700) +

  • Allen Bellman (1924-2020), American comic book artist whose career began in the Golden Age of Comics
  • John "Jack" Hutchins Bellman (1864-1931), American retired Major League Baseball catcher
  • Richard Ernest Bellman (1920-1984), American applied mathematician, celebrated for his invention of dynamic programming
  • Jonathan Bellman (b. 1975), American musicologist
  • Samuel H. Bellman, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1956
  • Harry Bellman, American politician, Industrial Candidate for Presidential Elector for Pennsylvania, 1916
  • Gina Bellman (b. 1966), New Zealand-born, Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress nominated British actress
  • Carl Michael Bellman (1740-1795), Swedish poet and composer


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf


Houseofnames.com on Facebook