Show ContentsBewyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bewyn

What does the name Bewyn mean?

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change to the island nation, including many immigrants with new names. Among these immigrants were the ancestors of the Bewyn family, who lived in Suffolk, where soon after the Norman Conquest, the village of Eston-Bavent was named after this illustrious family. Originally the name comes from the hamlet of Bavant (Bavent) in the Caen region of Normandy. 1

Early Origins of the Bewyn family

The surname Bewyn was first found in Suffolk, where the family gave its name to the village of Eston-Bavent after the Conquest. The name was originally associated with the hamlet of Bavent in the Caen region of France.

"Picot de Bavet is entered as holding one knight's fee in Norfolk of William de Albini. It was derived from Bavent, lying on the Dive, a little south of Varaville, in Normandy." 2

"Another Norfolk mesne-lord appears in the Liber Niger, Hubert de Baduent, an undertenant of the Honour of Rie. From him descended Adam de Bavent, who in the following century obtained through his wife a share of the estate of William de Wiston in Sussex, and was the father of another Adam, married to Alice de Scudamore. The latter had died before 1292, when the wardship of his son Roger was in dispute between the King and William de Say; and the contest was revived fourteen years afterwards by William's son Geoffrey; the young heir being then still under age. Roger de Bavent came from Sussex to the coronation of Edward II. " 2

Peter Babyon, Babyo, or Babion (fl. 1317-1366), was an English poet and divine in the reign of Edward II, by birth an Englishman. 3

Early History of the Bewyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bewyn research. Another 263 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1216, 1272, 1273, 1307, 1500, 1552, 1559, 1586, 1619 and 1626 are included under the topic Early Bewyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bewyn Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bavent, Baven, Bavin, Bauvent, Bavvent, Bavant and many more.

Early Notables of the Bewyn family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Walter de Bavent, a prominent 13th century landholder in Lincolnshire. William Bavand (fl. 1559), having been educated at Oxford, became a student in the Middle Temple, and published in 1559 'A work touching the...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bewyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bewyn family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bewyn or a variant listed above: Mary Bavin who arrived in Virginia in 1650 and Thomas Bavin in 1750.



  1. 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)
  2. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print


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