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![Show Contents]() Benfielt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The distinguished surname Benfielt is of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin. The name is derived from the Old English words "bean," meaning "bean," and "feld," meaning "field." This name is borne by several places in England, such as Benfield in Northamptonshire, Benville Manor in Dorset, and the now-lost Benfield in Sussex. Thus, the progenitor of the surname was most likely either someone who hailed from one of these places, or someone who lived near a bean field. Early Origins of the Benfielt familyThe surname Benfielt was first found in Hertfordshire, where Goduin de Benefelle was recorded as a land-holder in the Domesday Book. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, King William granted the lands of England to the barons that had served him in the Battle of Hastings. These barons followed the Norman practice of adopting the name of their land holdings; thus, it is possible that one branch of the Benfielt family is descended from Richard, who was granted lands in the village of Benefield, East Northamptonshire. "There are two villages about a mile apart, distinguished as Upper and Lower Benefield, the road from Oundle to Great Weldon proceeding through both." 1 Early History of the Benfielt familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Benfielt research. Another 132 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1160, 1296, 1381, 1559, 1630 and 1649 are included under the topic Early Benfielt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Benfielt Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Benfielt has undergone many spelling variations, including Benfield, Benefield, Benfeld, Benefeld, Benefiel and others. Early Notables of the Benfielt familyNotables of the family at this time include Sebastian Benefield (1559-1630), English divine and professor of theology at Oxford University. He was a native of Prestbury (or Prestonbury)...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Benfielt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Benfielt familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Benfielt were among those contributors: Henry Benfield, who came to Virginia in 1674; Brasil Benfield, who settled in Barbados in 1678 with his wife Rebeccah and their son Edward; Thomas Benfield, who came to Virginia in 1721.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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