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Bembridge History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Bembridge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Bembridge is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the parish of Aysgarth in North Yorkshire. 1 2 3

The family originated in Bainbridge, which derives from the Old Norse words Beinn which literally means straight, and from the Old English word "Brycg" which means bridge. 4 According to tradition, a Saxon by the name of Bayn defended a bridge against the enemy.

Early Origins of the Bembridge family

The surname Bembridge was first found in North Yorkshire where Bainbridge is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district. This township holds about 14,210 acres, and takes its name from the river Bain. The Roman name for Bainbridge was Virosidum and the remains of a Roman Fort are located just outside the village. 5

"Bainbridge is a name that is also well represented in one form or another in the neighbouring counties of Yorkshire and Westmorland. The old family of Bainbrigg of the county of Durham dates back to the 15th century; and last century several mayors of the city of Durham bore the name of Bainbridge (S.), which is yet represented there. At present the name is mostly established in the Darlington district. In fact Bainbridge has been a Darlington name since the time of Elizabeth (Long.). It has also been established in Stocliton - on - Tees since the middle of the 16th century, when John Baynbridge was mayor. Bainbrigg, or Bainbrige, was the name of a High Sheriff of York in the time of Henry V., and of an archbishop of York and a primate of England in the time of Henry VIII. The Bainbrigge family of Derbyshire came from Wheatley, in the West Riding, in the 16th century; they represented Derby in the parliament during that century." 6

One of the first records of the family was that of Matilda de Baynbrigg who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. Later Robert Baynbryg was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 7

Bembridge is a village and civil parish on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight where the Bembridge Windmill is the only remaining windmill on the Isle of Wight and dates from around 1700.

Early History of the Bembridge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bembridge research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1301, 1462, 1511, 1514, 1545, 1556, 1582, 1583, 1606, 1636, 1643, 1646, 1703 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bembridge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bembridge Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Bembridge has been spelled many different ways, including Bainbridge, Bainebridge, Banbridge, Bainbrigg, Baynbrigg and many more.

Early Notables of the Bembridge family

Distinguished members of the family include

Thomas Bainbrigg, Bambridge or Bembridge D.D. (1636-1703), was an English Protestant controversialist and William Bainbridge (died 1583), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Derby

Bembridge migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bembridges to arrive in North America:

Bembridge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Bembridge, who landed in Virginia in 1638 8
Hen Bembridge, who arrived in Virginia in 1642 8
Eliz Bembridge, who landed in Virginia in 1663 8

Bembridge Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Edward Bembridge, aged 54, who landed in America from Derby, in 1904
William Bembridge, aged 9, who landed in America from Derby, in 1904
Florence Bembridge, aged 22, who landed in America from Derby, in 1905
Alfred Bembridge, aged 28, who immigrated to America from Birmingham, England, in 1905
Fred Bembridge, aged 11, who settled in America from Derby, in 1906
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bembridge migration to Australia +

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

Bembridge Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Stephen Bembridge, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indian" in 1849 9
Eliza Bembridge, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Indian" in 1849 9
Mr. John Bembridge, British convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cornwall" on 28th February 1851, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Bembridge (post 1700) +

Brian Sidney Bembridge (b. 1973), American scenic and lighting designer for theater and film
Maurice Bembridge (1945-2024), English professional PGA golfer, winning the 1969 News of the World Match Play and the 1971 Dunlop Masters
Garret Bembridge (b. 1981), Canadian professional NHL ice hockey forward

Historic Events for the Bembridge family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Percy A Bembridge (b. 1919), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Wilmorton, Derbyshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 11

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The INDIAN 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Indian.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cornwall
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm