Beyfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Beyfield is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Northamptonshire, where the name is associated with the village of Byfield. In the Domesday Book of 1086, Byfield was recorded as lands held by Hugh de Grandmesnil and Earl Hugh. 1

The place name literally means "place by the open country," from the Old English "bi" + "feld." 2

Early Origins of the Beyfield family

The surname Beyfield was first found in Northamptonshire, at Byfield, a parish, in the union of Daventry, hundred of Chipping-Warden. 3 4 5

One of the first records of the family was found in Norfolk where Nigel de Bifeld was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1202. Later Robert de Byfeld was listed in the Assize Rolls for Northamptonshire in 1314-1316. Later again, Adam Byfelde was found in Gloucestershire in 1367. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included an entry for John de Byfeld, but no county was provided for this entry. 7

Early History of the Beyfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beyfield research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1367, 1579, 1596, 1597, 1598, 1615, 1616, 1622, 1643, 1654, 1660, 1664, 1665 and 1741 are included under the topic Early Beyfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beyfield Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Beyfield are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Beyfield include: Byfield, Byfeld, Byfelde, Byfild, Byfielde, Bifield and many more.

Early Notables of the Beyfield family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Nicholas Byfield (1579-1622), a prominent Puritan minister and writer. He was a native of Warwickshire, son by his first wife of Richard Byfield, who became vicar of Stratford-on-Avon in January 1597. Nicholas was entered at Exeter College, Oxford, in Lent term 1596, as 'aged 17 at least,' which gives 1579 as the latest date for his birth. Taking orders he intended to exercise his ministry in Ireland; but on his way thither he preached at Chester, and was prevailed upon to remain as one of the city preachers, without cure. He lectured at...
Another 270 words (19 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beyfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Beyfield family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Beyfield or a variant listed above: Robert Byfield who arrived in America in 1766.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print