Show ContentsBestwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Bestwick Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Bestwick

What does the name Bestwick mean?

The ancient history of the Bestwick name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in one of two places named Beswick. One is located in the township of Berwick, in the parish of Kilnwick, in the East Riding of Yorkshire while the other is in Lancashire, where Berwick was a local to Manchester. "The many Beswicks of Lancashire undoubtedly hail from Yorkshire." 1 "The Beswicks of Gristhorpe [North Yorkshire] have been seated there for upwards of four centuries." 2

Early Origins of the Bestwick family

The surname Bestwick was first found in the East Riding of Yorkshire, where Thomas de Bessewik was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of 1297. Later in London, Thomas Besewyk was recorded in 1379 and John Beswyk was listed a Freeman of York in 1411. 3

Early History of the Bestwick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bestwick research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1688, 1758 and 1894 are included under the topic Early Bestwick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bestwick 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 Bestwick include Beswick, Beswicke, Beswickt, Bestwick, Beeswick, Beswyck and many more.

Early Notables of the Bestwick family

John Wright Beswick and his his sons John and Gilbert, founders of John Beswick Ltd, formerly J. W. Beswick, a pottery manufacturer, founded in 1894 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. They produced high-quality porcelain figurines including many Beatrix Potter characters. Hannah Beswick (1688-1758), of Birchin Bower, Hollinwood, Oldham, Greater Manchester, was...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bestwick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bestwick 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 Bestwick or a variant listed above:

Bestwick Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Matthew Bestwick who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834

Bestwick migration to Australia +

Bestwick Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Bestwick, English convict who was convicted in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England for 6 years, transported aboard the "Edwin Fox" on 24th August 1858, arriving in Western Australia, Australia 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Bestwick (post 1700) +

  • Sergeant Major Wilbur Bestwick (1911-1972), American marine from Sabetha, Kansas, the first Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (1957-1959)
  • Allen Bestwick (b. 1961), American sportscaster who currently works for ESPN and ABC as a motorsports, and formerly a college football, broadcaster
  • Dick Bestwick (1930-2018), American football coach, scout, and college athletics administrator
  • Robert Saxton Bestwick (1899-1980), English first-class cricketer from Heanor, Derbyshire, who played for Derbyshire between 1920 and 1922, son of Billy Bestwick
  • Harold "Harry" Bestwick, English footballer from Derby who played in the Football League for Derby County (1888-1889)
  • William "Billy" Bestwick (1875-1938), English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1898 and 1926, known as a "bad boy" of cricket
  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edwin-fox

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