The surname of BILLINGHAM was a locational name 'of Billingham' a parish in County Durham, near Stockport. The name was derived from the Old English word Billinhamm. Local names usually denoted where a man held his land, and indicated where he actually lived. Early records of the name mention Billinghamm (without surname) 1085 County Durham. Edward Billingeham, 1130 ibid. Thomas Billingham was documented during the reign of Edward III (1327-1377) and Robert Billingham appears in Yorkshire in the year 1380. Edward Billingham of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. The earliest hereditary surnames in England are found shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066 and are of Norman French origin rather than native English. On the arrival of the Normans they identified themselves by references to the estates from which they came in northern France. These names moved rapidly on with their bearers into Scotland and Ireland. Others of the Norman Invaders took names from the estates in England which they had newly acquired Habitation names were originally acquired by the original bearer of the name, who, having lived by, at or near a place, would then take that name as a form of identification for himself and his family. When people lived close to the soil as they did in the Middle Ages, they were acutely conscious of every local variation in landscape and countryside. Every field or plot of land was identified in normal conversation by a descriptive term. If a man lived on or near a hill or mountain, or by a river or stream, forests and trees, he might receive the word as a family name. Almost every town, city or village in early times, has served to name many families. A later instance of the name mentions William Billingham who married Mary Pearce at St. George's, Hanover Square, London in 1760. The associated coat of arms is recorded in Sir Bernard Burkes General Armory. Ulster King of Arms in 1884. |
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