Beville

This interesting surname is of Norman origin, introduced into England after the Conquest of 1066, and is a locational name from any of three places. It may be from either of two places named Beuville in Calvados, so called from the Germanic personal name "Bodo", a byname meaning "Messenger" (from the Germanic "buth", to announce), and the Old French "ville", settlement; hence, "Bodo's settlement". It may also be from Bouville in Seine Maritime, recorded in 1212 as "Bovilla", and derives from the Germanic personal name "Bolo", with the Latin "villa", settlement, estate. Locational surnames were given to the lord of the manor, and to those former inhabitants who left to live or work in another area, and in this way the spelling of the name often changed with varying regional pronunciations. Robert de Beyville and Robert de Beville are listed in the 1225 Cartulary of the Abbey of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire. In the modern idiom the surname can be found as Bovill, Boville, Bovell, Bevill, Beville and Beavill. On February 2nd 1563, Frances, son of Christofer Bevell, was christened at St. Antholin, Budge Row, London, and Adah Ann, daughter of John Beville, was christened at St. Martin in the Field's, Westminster, London, on March 6th 1768. A Coat of Arms granted to the family depicts a red bull passant, armed and unguled gold, on a silver shield, the Crest being a gold griffin. The Motto, "Futurum invisible", translates as, "The future is inscrutable". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Humphrey de Buivile, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book of Suffolk, during the reign of King William 1, known as "The Conqueror", 1066 - 1087. 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.