Bentel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Bentel family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the county of Salop (Shropshire), where the Bentel family took their name from the parish of Benthall, near Much Wenlock. References to the family name in this area date back to the 12th century. Benthall Hall is a 16th century English country house is located there, a few miles from the historic Ironbridge Gorge. The Hall was built around 1580, on the site of an earlier 12th century medieval manor and manor house. It proudly retains much of its fine oak interior, and an elaborate 17th century staircase. Moreover, it is still occupied by the Benthall family, but has been owned by the National Trust since 1958. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from Benthall, a village in Northumberland about 6 kilometers south east of Bamburgh. 1

Early Origins of the Bentel family

The surname Bentel was first found in Shropshire where Robert de Benethal was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1221. Later, again in Shropshire, Philip de Benedhal was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1255. 2

"The Bendalls may derive their name from the Suffolk parish of Benhall. De Benedhal was a Shropshire name in the 13th century. The Bentalls are numerous in the Chelmsford district of Essex. Benhall is the name of a parish in Suffolk." 3

Early History of the Bentel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bentel research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1221 is included under the topic Early Bentel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bentel Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bentel include Bendall, Bendell, Bendal, Bendel, Bendle, Bentall, Benthall and many more.

Early Notables of the Bentel family

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

Bentel migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bentel or a variant listed above:

Bentel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Bentel, who arrived in Mississippi in 1839 4
Gottlieb Bentel, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 4

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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)