Bidingfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Bidingfield is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bidingfield family lived in the county of Suffolk, at Bedingfield.

Early Origins of the Bidingfield family

The surname Bidingfield was first found in Suffolk at Bedingfield (Bedingfeld) a parish, in the union and hundred of Hoxne. "The living [of Bedingfield] is a discharged rectory, valued in the king's books at £8, and in the gift of J. J. Bedingfield, Esq., whose family received their name from the parish." [1]

The family settled here soon after the Conquest and claim descendancy from Ogenus de Pugis, also called Longueville, a Norman knight who fought at the Battle of Hastings at the side of Duke William. [2]

Descended from him was Sir Thomas and his brother Sir Peter, ancestors of the Bedingfields, who were living in 1350 at Ditchingham Hall in Norfolk. "The Bedingfelds of Ditchingham, in this county, are a younger branch parted from the parent stem as early as the middle of the fourteenth century. " [3]

Early History of the Bidingfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bidingfield research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1720, 1479, 1553, 1523, 1509, 1583, 1613, 1651, 1660, 1654, 1554, 1636, 1586, 1593, 1661, 1648, 1595, 1680, 1632, 1687 and 1686 are included under the topic Early Bidingfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bidingfield Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Beddingfield, Bedingfield, Bedingfeld, Bedingfeil and many more.

Early Notables of the Bidingfield family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Edmund Bedingfield or Bedingfeld (1479-1553), made a Knight of the Bath in 1523; Sir Henry Bedingfield (1509-1583), Lord Chief Justice of England; and his son, Thomas Bedingfield (died 1613), English gentleman pensioner (bodyguard) to Elizabeth I of England; Anthony Bedingfield (died 1651), an English merchant and politician; Philip Bedingfield (died 1660), an English landowner and politician who sat in...
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bidingfield Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bidingfield family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bidingfield or a variant listed above: Walter Beddingfield who landed in America in 1750.

The Bidingfield 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: Aquila non captat muscas
Motto Translation: The eagle is no fly-catcher.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.