Map of England showing where the Beckham arms are recorded
The Beckham arms were recorded in Leicestershire, c. 1620.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Beckham arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Leicestershire.
Origin & History of the Beckham Family in England
The surname Beckham is rooted in the ancient landscape of England, with its origins tied to the Old English language. The name is locational, meaning it was likely adopted by families who lived in or near a specific settlement known as a "ham," or homestead, belonging to a person named Becca. While the name appears in various parts of the country, historical records confirm that members of the Beckham family were firmly established in the county of Leicestershire by 1620. During this period, families in the region were often tied to the land through agriculture or local trades. As the family grew and moved across the English countryside, the name became a permanent marker of their ancestry, reflecting a long history of life in the rural communities of the East Midlands.
Beckham Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Becca
An Old English personal name derived from the word for brook.
This name
BeckhamRefers to the homestead or meadow situated near a stream or brook.
also spelled
Bekham
Beckum
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, Percy Hide, A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
chequyConstancy, and the counting-board
fretPersuasion, and the net that holds
