Bynoe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

The name Bynoe is from the rugged landscape of Wales. It is a Celtic name that was derived from the Welsh personal name Enion, which was also spelled Einion and Eignon. The surname Bynoe features the distinctive Welsh patronymic prefix ab-. The original form of the name was ab- Enion,but the prefix has been assimilated into the surname over the course of time and the overall spelling has sometimes been extensively altered. 1 2

"I wrote a series of articles some years ago entitled the 'Romance of the London Directory,' afterwards printed in book form. I stated that Bunyan was Bonjean, and that when we talked of' Good John Bunyan' we simply said 'Good John' twice over. This, I believe, was incorporated in a recent life of the great dreamer. But writing more soberly now, and after more study, I feel fairly confident that Bunyan's ancestry was Welsh. The great personal name of Enion or Eignon has left a very varied number of Welsh surnames, for 'Ab-Enion,' as Benyon will show, played freely with the vowels. " 3

Early Origins of the Bynoe family

The surname Bynoe was first found in Bedfordshire where Henry Buniun was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1204. Over one hundred years later, Simon Boynon was found in Bedfordshire in the Subsidy Rolls of 1309. 4

"In 1199 one William Buniun held land at Wilstead, a mile from Elstow [Bedfordshire]. In 1327 one of the same name, probably his descendant, William Boynon, was living at the hamlet of Harrowden, at the south-eastern boundary of the parish, close to the very spot which tradition marks out as John Bunyan's birthplace, and which the local names of 'Bunyan's End,' 'Bunyan's Walk,' and 'Farther Bunyan's' (as old, certainly, as the middle of the sixteenth century) connect beyond all question with the Bunyan family. A field known as 'Bonyon's End' was sold in 1548 by 'Thomas Bonyon of Elstow, labourer,' son of William Bonyon, to Robert Curtis, and other portions of his ancestral properly gradually passed to other purchasers, little being left to descend to John Bunyan's grandfather, Thomas Bunyan (d. 1641), save the 'cottage or tenement' in which he carried on the occupation of 'petty chapman,' or small retail trader." 5

"As Roger and John Buignon were sons of John Buignon, the surname, which has been noted only in Bedfordshire, was already hereditary in 1227 (Assize Rolls of Bedfordshire), when it appears as Buingon, Buinon, Buignon and Bungnon in the neighbourhood of Ampthill and Bedford." 4

Early History of the Bynoe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bynoe research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1046, 1204, 1227, 1309, 1628 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Bynoe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bynoe Spelling Variations

Compared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Bynoe name over the years has been spelled Bunyon, Banyen, Benion, Benyan, Benyon, Bunyan, Bunyen, Banion, Banyan, O'Banion, O'Benyon and many more.

Early Notables of the Bynoe family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was John Bunyan (1628-1688), author of "Pilgrim's Progress" and many other works. He was born at the village of Elstow, Bedfordshire, a little more than a mile south of the town of Bedford, in November 1628. The family of Buignon, Buniun...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bynoe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bynoe Ranking

In the United States, the name Bynoe is the 17,849^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Bynoe family to Ireland

Some of the Bynoe family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bynoe migration to the United States +

Many people from Wales joined the general migration to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries, searching for land, work, and freedom. Like the many other immigrants from the British Isles, they made a significant contribution to the development of Canada and the United States. The Welsh and their descendents added a rich cultural tradition to the newly developed towns, cities, and villages. An investigation of the immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Bynoe:

Bynoe Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Estella Bynoe, aged 20, who landed in America, in 1894
Frederick Bynoe, aged 35, who immigrated to the United States, in 1894

Bynoe Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Caroline Bynoe, aged 20, who landed in America from Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1912
Theophouls W Bynoe, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States, in 1914
Hubert Bynoe, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1917
Joseph Bynoe, aged 36, who landed in America, in 1918
Edward Bynoe, aged 22, who immigrated to America from Bridgetown, Barbados, in 1918
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bynoe (post 1700) +

Peter Charles Bernard Bynoe (b. 1951), American attorney and businessman based in Chicago
Philip Earl Bynoe, American Emmy Award-winning, three-time Grammy nominated bassist
Michael Robin Bynoe (b. 1941), former West Indian cricketer who played in four Tests
Dame Hilda Louisa Gibbs Bynoe DBE (b. 1921), Governor of Grenada (1967 to 1972)

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/