Bealing

This unusual and interesting name has two possible sources, the first dating from before the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the second being Norman in origin. The first source is locational from 'Bealings' in Suffolk, or 'Beal' in West Yorkshire, or 'Beal' in Northumberland. Bealings recorded in the Domesday Book as Belingas, means 'a piece of dry land in fenny (marshy) country', while Beal (W. Yorks), (Begale in Domesday) means 'land between the bends of the river' and Beal (Northumberland) means 'bee hill'. Locational names were especially given to those who left their original homes and went to live or work in another village or town. The second source is from the Norman nickname for a handsome man, from the Old French 'bel' - fair, lovely, the suffix 'ing' meaning 'son of '. The first recording of 'Bealing' is in the marriage of Mary Bealing and William Lilly, 1688, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Thomas Bele. which was dated 1206 Curia Rolls of Essex. during the reign of John, nickname 'Lackland' 1199-1216. 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.