Bilingdon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The many generations and branches of the Bilingdon family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a person who lived at one of several settlements named Billington in the counties of Bedfordshire, Lancashire, or Staffordshire.

Early spellings of the place name include: Billendon, Bedfordshire in 1196 and Billingduna, Lancashire in the same year. 1 It is generally thought the place name meant "hill with a sharp ridge," from the Old English word "billing" + "dun" or "hill of a man called Billa." 1

Early Origins of the Bilingdon family

The surname Bilingdon was first found in Lancashire at Billington, a township and district chapelry, in the parish, union, and Lower division of the hundred, of Blackburn. 2

The town has been listed various spellings over the years: Billindon (1203); Billinton (1208); Bilingdon (1241) and later as Belyngton or Bilyngton. This area "is supposed to have been the scene of a battle that occurred between Wada, a Saxon duke, one of the murderers of Ethelred, and Ardulph, King of Northumbria, in the year 798, when the former was defeated." 2

While the surname was primarily found in Lancashire, we must look of Staffordshire to find the first record, specifically Robert de Billington who was listed there in the Assize Rolls of 1203. 3 William de Bilington was listed in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire in 1332 as was Adam de Billington. In nearby Yorkshire, Johannes de Billyngton was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 4

Early History of the Bilingdon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bilingdon research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1580, 1595, 1630, 1663, 1696, 1737, 1768 and 1774 are included under the topic Early Bilingdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bilingdon Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Bilingdon were recorded, including Billington, Billingston, Billingdon and others.

Early Notables of the Bilingdon family

Distinguished members of the family include John Billington (c.1580-1630), a signer of the Mayflower Compact; he was the first Englishman to be convicted of murder in the New World, and the first to be hanged for any crime in New England. Billington was also a signer of the Mayflower Compact.Mrs. Elizabeth Billington was the daughter of Carl Weichsel, a native of Freiberg in Saxony, and principal clarinet at the King's Theatre. Her mother was for several years a...
Another 77 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bilingdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bilingdon family to Ireland

Some of the Bilingdon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bilingdon family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Bilingdon family emigrate to North America: John Billington who sailed on the " Mayflower" and arrived in Plymouth in 1620; with his wife Helen and two sons, Francis and John, and daughter, Ellen..

Citations +

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.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)