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Bellamy History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Bellamy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bellamy

What does the name Bellamy mean?

The name Bellamy came to England with the ancestors of the Bellamy family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bellamy family lived in Shropshire. The name could also be derived as a nickname meaning my good friend Literally, the name is derived from the Norman-French word belamy, "fair friend," which was used much in the depreciatory way in which we now employ "good fellow." 1

Alternatively the name could have originated in Bellesme, a town of France. 2 So as proof of this latter origin, we note Ralf Belami in the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1189. 3

Early Origins of the Bellamy family

The surname Bellamy was first found in Shropshire, where Robert de Belesme was given Shropshire Castle to hold for King William. Fifty years later he rebelled against Duke William's successor, and successfully defended Shropshire Castle against King Stephen.

Also known as Robert of Belleme, the Earl of Shrewsbury, sometimes called Talvas, was the eldest son of Roger, Lord of Montgomery in Normandy, of Arundel and Chichester. "He was knighted by the Conqueror before the walls of Fresnay in 1073. In the revolt of Robert, the king's eldest son, in 1077, he and many other young Norman nobles upheld his cause against the king. As long as the Conqueror lived he and other Norman lords were compelled to receive garrisons from into their castles. This disabled them from disturbing the peace of the duchy. Robert in 1087 was on his way to visit the king, and had gone as far as Brionne when he heard of the Conqueror's death. He at once turned back, and turned the ducal garrisons out of his castles. " 4

"Bellamy is a name that has long been established in Nottinghamshire. It occurred in the adjacent county of Cambridge in the reign of Edward I. , and is at present to be found in Huntingdonshire. " 5

A well known name is early years, Chaucer noted in his famous Canterbury Tales 'Belamy, fayre frynde' (Belamy, fair friend.)

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two early listings of the family with different spellings: Hugh Belami, Cambridgeshire; and Roger Belamy, Oxfordshire. 6

Kirby's Quest listed "John Belamy, Somerset, 1 Edward III" (during the first year's reign of King Edward III. 7

"Other scattered notices of the name are forthcoming. In the Hundredorum Rolls of Edward I. we find Gilbert and Roger Belamy in Oxfordshire, Matilda Belamy in Dorsetshire, and Hugh and John Belami in Kent. John and Peter Belami were of Edenbridge, in the latter county, in 1317: and the family reappears in Dorset during the last century, when Edward Bellamy of Rampisham, a wealthy wool-stapler, bought Beuvill in Corscombe, and owned Evershot, Cheddington." 3

Early History of the Bellamy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bellamy research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1603, 1634, 1687, 1689, 1698, 1717, 1720, 1771, 1788 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Bellamy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bellamy Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Bellamy are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bellamy include Bellamy, Belamy, Bellamie, Belamie, Bellamey, Bellame, Bellasme, Bellamly and many more.

Early Notables of the Bellamy family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Samuel "Black Sam" Bellamy (c.1689-1717), sometimes known as the "Prince of Pirates," an English pirate from Devon who operated in the early 18th century. He and his crew captured at least 53 ships un...
Another pirate, Charles Bellamy (fl. c. 1717-1720) was an 18th century English pirate who raided colonial American shipping in New England and later off the coast of the Carolinas, to which he himself...
Daniel Bellamy the Elder (b. 1687), was an English miscellaneous writer, born in the parish of St. Martin's, Ironmonger's Lane, on 25 Dec. 1687 was the son of Daniel Bellamy, scrivener of the city of...

Bellamy Ranking

In the United States, the name Bellamy is the 1,851^st most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. 8 However, in France, the name Bellamy is ranked the 3,038^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 9

Bellamy migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Bellamy, or a variant listed above:

Bellamy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Matthew Bellamy, Schoolmaster, who settled in New Haven in 1638
Henry Bellamy, who arrived in Maryland in 1640 10

Bellamy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Charles Bellamy, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 10

Bellamy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph M Bellamy, who landed in New York, NY in 1824 10
S C Bellamy, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 10

Bellamy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bellamy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Bellamy, who settled in Harbour Grace in 1812
Henry Bellamy, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1819 11
Henry Bellamy, who settled in Maggotty Cove, Newfoundland in 1822 11
Chancy H Bellamy, who landed in Canada in 1828
Hiram Bellamy, who arrived in Canada in 1828

Bellamy migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bellamy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Bellamy, English convict who was convicted in Warwick, Warwickshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Dromedary" on 11th September 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. William Bellamy, British Convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 6th April 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Thomas Bellamy, (b. 1808), aged 20, English butcher who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Mr. Edwin Bellamy, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
David Bellamy, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "David Malcolm" in 1847 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bellamy migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bellamy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Bellamy, British settler travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Bosworth" arriving in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand on 24th November 1857 17
Mr. William Henry Bellamy, (b. 1860), aged 9 months, British settler travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1860 17
Mr. James Bellamy, (b. 1831), aged 29, British farm labourer travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1860 17
Mrs. Sarah Bellamy, (b. 1831), aged 29, British settler travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1860 17
Mr. George Bellamy, (b. 1853), aged 7, British settler travelling from Bristol aboard the ship "Matoaka" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd December 1860 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bellamy migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 18

Bellamy Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Edward Bellamy, who settled in Barbados in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Bellamy (post 1700) +

Carol Bellamy (b. 1942), American Chair of the Board of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, former Director of the Peace Corps, Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
William "Bill" Bellamy (b. 1965), American actor and stand-up comedian
Walter Jones "Walt" Bellamy (1939-2013), American professional NBA basketball player, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993
Ralph Bellamy (1904-1991), American actor
Edward Bellamy (1850-1898), American writer and utopian socialist
George Harriss Bellamy (1856-1924), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from Brunswick County, 1893, 1913-14; Member of North Carolina State Senate, 1903-04, 1907-08, 1911-12
Emmett Hargrove Bellamy (1891-1952), American Democratic Party politician, Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives from New Hanover County, 1921-22; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1940 (alternate), 1944
Charles H. Bellamy, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Roubaix, 1914
Carol Bellamy (b. 1942), American Democratic Party politician, Served in the Peace Corps; Lawyer; Member of New York State Senate, 1973-77 (23rd District 1973-74, 25th District 1975-77); Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992 ;
Arthur R. Bellamy, American politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Bay County 1st District, 1902
... (Another 23 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bellamy family +

USS Arizona

Mr. James Curtis Bellamy, American Officer's Cook Third Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 19

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
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dromedary
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) DAVID MALCOLM 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847DavidMalcolm.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html