Bedow

This unusual and interesting name is of Welsh origin and is from the personal name Bedo, itself a diminutive form of 'Meredydd', which is 'Meredith' in modern form, and 'Morgetiud' in Old Welsh. Morgetiud has for its first element the meaning pomp, or splendour, and the second 'udd', lord. However, a common prefix in the Welsh language is 'ap' or 'ab' meaning son of and Beddoe may be a patronymic from the given name Eddow with the misdivision of the patronymic prefix, i.e., 'ab-Eddow'. An early recording of the name in its present form is of one John Beddoe, found in 1641, in 'The Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society', but other forms include Bedo, Beddow and Eddow, and patronymics, Beddis and Edess. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Johanna Bedowe (widow), which was dated 1577, in the Marriage Licences of London, 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.