Bridport History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bridport

What does the name Bridport mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Bridport family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in Dorset, where they lived at the bridge.

Early Origins of the Bridport family

The surname Bridport was first found in Dorset. One of the earliest records of the family was Giles of Bridport or Bridleford. He was "Bishop of Salisbury, was a native of the town from which he took his name. As Dean of Wells, an office to which he was elected in 1253, he arbitrated in a dispute between the abbot and monks of Abingdon. In 1255 he was Archdeacon of Berkshire. " 1

Early History of the Bridport family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bridport research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bridport History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bridport Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bridport include Brideport, Bridport, Bridgeport, Bridgport and others.

Early Notables of the Bridport family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Lord Bridport of Nettleham

Bridport migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bridport or a variant listed above:

Bridport Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Bridport who arrived in Philadelphia in 1818
Hugh Bridport, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1832

Sources +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print