Bithle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The Welsh name Bithle is a patronymic surname created from the Welsh personal name Ithel. The surname Bithle features the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix "ab" or "ap," which mean "son of." The original form of the name was ab-Ithell, but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time. 1

Early Origins of the Bithle family

The surname Bithle was first found in Herefordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

However, some of the family were found at Watton in the East Riding of Yorkshire at early times. "A great part of the soil belongs to Richard Bethell, Esq., whose family were long seated at Walton Abbey, a brick mansion in the Tudor style, with octagonal turrets, stone dressings and buttresses, and fine gardens attached; it is now, by permission of Mr. Bethell, the residence of the incumbent." 2

Early History of the Bithle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bithle research. Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1606, 1615, 1617, 1622, 1637, 1649, 1654, 1659, 1660, 1668, 1679, 1697 and 1820 are included under the topic Early Bithle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bithle Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Bithle have included Bethel, Bethell, Bithel, Bithell, Bythell, Bythel and others.

Early Notables of the Bithle family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Sir Walter Bethell (died 1622); Henry Bethall (c 1606-1668), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660; and Hugh Bethell (1615-1679), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1654 and 1679. Slingsby Bethel (1617-1697), was an English politician from Alne, North Yorkshire. He "was the third son of Sir Walter Bethel of Alne, Yorkshire, who married Mary, the second daughter of Sir Henry Slingsby of Scriven...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bithle Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bithle family

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Bithle: James Bethell who settled in Virginia in 1635; William Bethell, who settled in Virginia in 1653; Hugh Bethel, who arrived in Virginia in 1690; Thomas Bethel, his wife Rebecca, and their daughter Rebecca who all came to Virginia in 1714.

The Bithle 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: Ap Ithel
Motto Translation: Son of Ithel

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.