Bilgeart History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe lineage of the name Bilgeart begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in Surrey. As a local name, it was derived from the local 'at the hill-garth' or 'hill-yard.' 1 "Hildyard, formerly Hildheard, [was] an ancient personal name. The family are said to have sprung from Robert Hildheard, of Normanby, Yorkshire, in the year 1109." 2 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Old German Hildigard, Hildiardis (f) ‘war stronghold’ 3 And finally, the name could also have been an occupational name for a hellier who was a roofer, tiler, or thatcher. 4 Early Origins of the Bilgeart familyThe surname Bilgeart was first found in Surrey where the name was first listed as a forename, Hildiard de Trule in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1206. Hyldeiard (with no forename) was registered in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1228 and Robert Hildyard, Hiliard was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for 1275 in Yorkshire. 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Robert de Hildgard, Yorkshire; Robert de Hildyard, Yorkshire; Robert Hiliard, Yorkshire; Robert Hildeyerd, Yorkshire. "These four entries represent, no doubt, the same individual." 1 Early History of the Bilgeart familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bilgeart research. Another 157 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1109, 1485, 1537, 1602, 1612, 1619, 1640, 1660, 1670, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1716, 1729, 1743, 1746, 1781 and 1814 are included under the topic Early Bilgeart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bilgeart Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Bilgeart has undergone many spelling variations, including Hilliard, Hildyard, Hillard, Hildheard and others. Early Notables of the Bilgeart familyNotables of the family at this time include Sir Christopher Hildyard (d. 1602), whose tomb is in Church of St. German in Winestead, as well as a Hildyard, Sheriff of Nottingham. Nicholas Hilliard (1537-1619), was an English miniature painter, court painter to Elizabeth and to James I. His son, Lawrence Hilliard (d. 1640), English miniature painter continued his father's work. 5Thomas Hildeyard (1690-1746), was a Jesuit, of a respectable Lincolnshire... Migration of the Bilgeart familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Bilgeart were among those contributors: John and Gregory Hilliard, who settled in Virginia in 1623; Charles Hilliard settled in Virginia in 1635; George Hilliard settled in Virginia in 1659.
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