The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Bizzell is a name for a person involved in the measuring and trading of corn. The name springs from the Old English root bushel, which is a measure of volume which is still in use today. Another derivation of the name suggests that it stems from the Norman French root bichelle, which means hind or deer. Which derivation is applicable depends on the geographic roots of the particular family group in question.
The surname Bizzell was first found in Berkshire, where they had been granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bizzell research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bizzell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Bizzell have been found, including Bissell, Bichell and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Bizzell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. 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 Bizzell were among those contributors: John Bissell who arrived in west New Jersey in 1664; Thomas Bissell who settled in Virginia in 1663; Thomas Bissell arrived in Philadelphia in 1774; Charles Bissell arrived in New York City in 1822..