The name Bewlie reached
England in the great wave of migration following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bewlie family lived in
Worcestershire. However, the surname of the Bewlie family evolved from the name of their former residence, Beaulieu, a place in Calvados, Normandy.
Early Origins of the Bewlie family
The surname Bewlie was first found in
Worcestershire, at Bewdley, a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District. The village dates back to about 1275 when it was listed as Beuleu and literally meant "beautiful place" having derived from the Old French beau + lieu.
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4) One of the first records of one of the surname's early variants was Simon de Bello Loco of
Normandy who was listed there in 1180 and years later Alexander de Bello Loco paid a fine in
Bedfordshire in 1255.
[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) Bewley Common is a small village in Wiltshire.
Early History of the Bewlie family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bewlie research.
Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1902, 1840, 1835 and 1986 are included under the topic Early Bewlie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bewlie Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime.
Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Bewlie family name include Bewley, Bewlay, Bowley, Bowlay, Bewlie and others.
Early Notables of the Bewlie family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Bewlie Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bewlie family to Ireland
Some of the Bewlie family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 183 words (13 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bewlie family to the New World and Oceana
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Bewlie family to immigrate North America:
Bewlie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Grace Bewlie, who settled in New England in 1635
- Grace Bewlie, aged 30, who landed in America in 1635 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - William Bewlie, who arrived in Maryland in 1682 [3]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
The Bewlie Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Cautus metuit foveam lupus
Motto Translation: The cautious wolf fears the snare.