Show ContentsBinley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Binley

What does the name Binley mean?

The ancestors of the name Binley date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Binley family lived by an open manger or stall. It derived from the Old English name Binningas, which was a name for someone who lived near stables. Alternatively the name could have been derived from "byng" and meant "dweller by the hollow." 1

Another source has a different origin of the name: "from the occurrence of such compounds as Bingley, Bingham, Bingfield, in names of places, it is highly probable that Bing, or Byng, was an ancient personal name. " 2

And another believes the name was actually a Norman name "from Binge-Gerault, Normandy, [which is] mentioned in a charter of King John to Henry de Ferrers. In 1191 Robert de Binga witnessed a charter of Henry, Bishop of Bayeux, executed at Rouen. From this Norman family descended the Viscounts Torrington, and the celebrated Sir John Byng, General in the Peninsular War, and Earl of Strafford. " 3

Early Origins of the Binley family

The surname Binley was first found in Kent, where the family "held property in Wrotham in the time of Elizabeth, and one of this family was sheriff of Kent in the same reign. In the time of James I. the Bings also owned property in Tunbridge, where the name still remains; and in this reign George Bing was mayor of Dover, and also the representative of the city in Parliament. " 4

Apart from the aforementioned Norman entry, the first mention of the name in ancient England was in 1274 when the Hundredorum Rolls listed Robert Bing as holding lands in Devon at that time and Reginald Binge was holding lands in Oxfordshire. 5 John Byng was listed in the Assize Rolls of Kent in 1317. 1

Early History of the Binley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Binley research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1574, 1652, 1654, 1663, 1666, 1672, 1712, 1733, 1739 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Binley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Binley 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 Binley 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. The variations of the name Binley include: Bing, Binge, Binley, Binckes, Bink, Byng, Bincks and others.

Early Notables of the Binley family

Notables of the family at this time include Doctor Andrew Bing (1574-1652), English scholar, a fellow of Peterhouse, who was Regius Professor of Hebrew at Cambridge, and was part of the "First Cambridge Company" charged by James I of England with translating parts of the Old Testament for the King James Version of the Bible. 6George Byng Viscount Torrington (1663-1733), was a British admiral and the eldest son of John Byng, from a family who had settled for many centuries at Wrotham in Kent. "In 1666...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Binley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Binley family to Ireland

Some of the Binley 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.


Binley migration to the United States +

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 Binley or a variant listed above:

Binley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • James Binley, aged 36, who arrived in New York City in 1903 aboard the ship "Cymric" from Liverpool, England 7
  • Mabel E. Binley, aged 38, who arrived in New York in 1913 aboard the ship "Imperator" from Southampton, England 7
  • William Binley, aged 49, who arrived in New York, NY in 1924 aboard the ship "Leviathan" from Southampton, England 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Binley (post 1700) +

  • Brian Arthur Roland Binley (1942-2020), British Conservative Party politician, Member of Parliament (MP) for Northampton South from 2005 to 2015


The Binley 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: Tuebor
Motto Translation: I will defend.


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. 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)
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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