Byng

This very interesting and ancient surname, recorded in the spellings of Bing, Binge, Bingham (the home of Bing), Byng, Binn, and Binning, has long puzzled etymologists. Today it is generally accepted that the origin is Olde English, from the pre Christian era, and a derivative of the tribal or clan name 'Binningas', a people known to have populated the midlands of England before the Roman conquest of 55 a.d. There are however two other possibilities. The first being that the name is locational, and describing one who lived at horse stables, deriving from the Olde Norse word 'bingr' meaning a 'stall'. Indeed it is conceivable that both the above origins share the same roots in pre-history, as it is also possible that 'Binningas' may describe a tribe of horsemen or breeders of horses. The last possibility is that some nameholders may originate from the town of Bingen in Germany, as the name is also found recorded in that country. Early English examples of the surname recording include Simon de Bynninge of London in 1396, William Byngeham of Nottingham in 1433, and Thomas Byng, known as 'The Orator', who died in London in 1599. Other recordings taken from the church registers include Jhon (Joan?) Binge who married William Hearn at the church of St Stephen and St Benet, London, on January 26th 1577, and Sarah, the daughter of one William Binge, who was christened at St Mary Whitechapel, London, on October 19th 1609. The Coat of arms has the magnificent blazon of Quarterly - black and gold, four lions rampant, counterchanged. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Byn, which was dated 1327, in the Subsidy Rolls of the county of Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 111, known as 'The father of the Navy', 1327 - 1377. 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.