Show ContentsBemont History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bemont

What does the name Bemont mean?

The name Bemont was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bemont family lived in Dorset and Gloucestershire. "There existed at a remote period, a family of Beaumont in Normandy, and it was, probably, one of its cadets whose name was inscribed on the muster Roll at Battle. Certain it is that he could not have been the founder of the illustrious House of Beaumont, which, in two centuries after, appears so prominently conspicuous among the most potent barons of the realm, and which was established in this country by Henry de Beaumont, fourth son of Agnes de Beaumont, by her husband, Louie, second son of Charles, Kind of Jerusalem, and nephew of Loius IX. of France." 1

Early Origins of the Bemont family

The surname Bemont was first found in Dorset and Gloucestershire, where "Roger de Belmont appears in [the] Domesday [Book] as chief tenant. According to Sir H. Ellis, he was a near kinsman of the Conqueror, being lineal descendant of that king's great grandfather. Some trace the noble English families from the Viscounts Beaumont of Normandy, and others from the blood-royal of France." 2

The chapelry of Ryall in Northumberland is of particular interest to the family. "This was the lordship of John, Lord Beaumont, who died seised of Ryall about the year 1396, leaving it, with many other estates in this county and elsewhere, to his son and heir, Henry, then sixteen years of age, who was knighted at the coronation of Henry IV." 3

Upper Whitley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was home to another branch of the family. "The founder of the ancient family of Beaumont here, was a Knight Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem, who received the manor on condition of performing certain military services in the time of Henry III. Whitley Hall has ever since been the principal residence of the family, and is now in the possession of R. H. Beaumont, Esq. [(c. 1860)]" 3

Robert de Beaumont (d. 1118), was Count of Meulan, a feudal statesman and son of Roger de Beaumont ('de Bellomonte' in the Latinized form) and grandson of Humfrey de Vielles. 4

His son, Robert de Beaumont Earl of Leicester (1104-1168), was Justiciary of England, and a twin with his brother Waleran. Waleran de Beaumont Count of Meulan (1104-1166), was a warrior and feudal statesman and twin brother of Robert, Earl of Leicester. Robert de Beaumont Earl of Leicester (d. 1190), was a baronial leader and son of Robert de Beaumont, Earl of Leicester. 4

"The leading manor of South Tawton, [Devon] was once in the Beaumonts, being granted by Henry I. to Roselm Beaumont, Viscount de Mayne, whose granddaughter brought it to Roger de Tony." 5

Early History of the Bemont family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bemont research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1198, 1305, 1309, 1340, 1438, 1507, 1584, 1585, 1616, 1636, 1638, 1650, 1660, 1668, 1669, 1676, 1679, 1685, 1689, 1699, 1701 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Bemont History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bemont Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Beaumont, Beaumond, Beamond, Beamont, Beamonte, Beamonde, Bellmont, Belmont, Beomont, Beumond, Bewmont, Bewmonte, Bellemont, Beumont, Beaumount, Bewmount, Bowmont, Bowmaunt and many more.

Early Notables of the Bemont family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Viscount Allandale; Henry de Beaumont, 4th Earl of Buchan (circa 1305-1340), a military tactician, who was made the 1st Baron Beaumont in 1309; Sir William de Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Beaumont (1438-1507), fought in several of the major battles of the Wars of the Roses, probably knighted before the Battle of Northampton; Francis Beaumont (c.1585-1616), a British playwright...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bemont Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bemont family to Ireland

Some of the Bemont family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bemont family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bemont or a variant listed above: John Beamond who settled in Virginia in 1635; Andrew Beaumont settled in New England in 1805; Richard Beamond settled in New Jersey in 1664.


Contemporary Notables of the name Bemont (post 1700) +

  • Gustave Bémont, French collaborator with Marie Curie on their discovery of radium and polonium
  • Charles Bémont (1848-1939), French scholar, born in Paris; he was responsible for the continuation of the Gascon Rolls, and was made a corresponding member of the British Academy in 1914


  1. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital


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