An excerpt from www.HouseOfNames.com archives copyright © 2000 - 2013
Origins Available: English, French
Where did the English Beauvais family come from? What is the English Beauvais family crest and coat of arms? When did the Beauvais family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the Beauvais family history?Soon after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Beauvais was recognized on the island as a name for a friend, and is a somewhat nondescript form of affectionate address, somewhat like pal or mate in modern English. The name translates from the Old French root belfiz of the same meaning. The modern French meaning of the word as son in law was not in place until 1468.
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Beauvais family name include Bevis, Bevys, Beavis, Beavys and others.
First found in Hampshire, where they were granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066. They were descended from the Beauvais in Normandy, and appear on the honor roll of Battell Abbey, as accompanying Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beauvais research. Another 166 words(12 lines of text) covering the years 1254, 1693, 1731, and 1771 are included under the topic Early Beauvais History in all our PDF Extended History products.
Another 29 words(2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Beauvais Notables in all our PDF Extended History products.
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Beauvais family to immigrate North America:
Beauvais Settlers in the United States in the 18th Century
Beauvais Settlers in the United States in the 19th Century
Beauvais Settlers in the United States in the 20th Century
The Beauvais Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Beauvais Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
This page was last modified on 19 January 2012 at 14:19.
houseofnames.com is an internet property owned by Swyrich Corporation.