Biddell

This is an unusual name of English origin it is a dialectual variant of a locational name Beadnall from a place so called in Northumberland. The original spelling of this village recorded in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1161 was 'Bedehal' and in 1177, 'Bedenhala', and the derivation is from the Olde English pre 7th Century 'Beda', a personal name of unknown origin, and 'halh', which in this case means a corner of land formed by a bend in a river. During the Middle Ages when it was becoming common for people to migrate from their birth place, to seek work for example and they often adopted the placename as a means of identification. In All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne on 22nd July 1654 one John Beadnall son of William Beadnall was christened. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Bednell, which was dated December 1574, at Berwick upon Tweed, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as Good Queen Bess, 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.