Show ContentsBeman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the name Beman date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence near a mountain. This name was brought to England by the Normans, and is a corruption of the Norman French name Beaumont, which means beautiful mountain.1

"In former times, when mead or methlegn was a favourite beverage, the number of bees kept in England must have been much larger than now. Bee-parlts, or enclosures, exist in several parts of the country, though now appropriated to other uses. The keeper of such a park was called Custos Apium-"keeper of the bees"-whence Beeman. " 2

Early Origins of the Beman family

The surname Beman was first found in Suffolk, where R. Benum was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls in 1283. Later William le Bemon was found in Lancashire in 1324. 3

Early History of the Beman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beman research. Another 227 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1283, 1324, 1379, 1500, 1674 and 1793 are included under the topic Early Beman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beman Spelling Variations

Beman has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Beman have been found, including Beman, Beeman, Bemon, Beemon, Bayman, Baymon and many more.

Early Notables of the Beman family

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


United States Beman migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bemans to arrive on North American shores:

Beman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Beman who arrived in Virginia in 1623
  • Elizabeth Beman, aged 23, who landed in Maryland in 1684 4
Beman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Beman, who settled in Virginia in 1774

Contemporary Notables of the name Beman (post 1700) +

  • Samuel S. Beman (b. 1857), American politician, Member of Minnesota State Senate, 1857-58, 1872-74, 1881-82 (11th District 1857-58, 7th District 1872-74, 1881-82)
  • Samuel A. Beman, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Franklin County, 1881; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 1884; Franklin County Judge and Surrogate, 1896
  • Samuel Beman Jr., American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Washington and Clinton counties, 1794-95
  • G. A. Beman, American Republican politician, Candidate for Iowa State House of Representatives from Keokuk County, 1950
  • Beman Brockway, American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Oswego County 3rd District, 1859; Liberal Republican Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 21st District, 1872 5
  • Beman Gates Dawes (1870-1953), American Republican politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio 15th District, 1905-09; Oil executive 6


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. 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)
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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