Origin of Bezants
Recorded in many forms as shown below, this is a very interesting and unusual surname. It is pre medieval French and English, and either a metonymic occupational name for a banker or money lender, one who dealt in gold coins, or manufactured them or was a nickname for a rich man! It derives from the Old French word 'besan', in Middle English 'besant', meaning a gold coin, and so called because the original gold coins known as Byzaneius were minted at Byzantium. It is probable that the both the word and the subsequent surname received considerable impetus from the famous Crusades of the 12th century.
The besant is also a prominent charge in heraldry, and often appears on coats of arms which claim some association with the Crusades. In the modern idiom the spellings include Bezant, Bezants, Besant, Besants, Bessant, Bessent, Bezzant (English), and Besan, Besant, Besantie (French). Robert Besant is recorded in the 'Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London', and is known to have held the office of Sheriff of London in 1194. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Lefwin Bessant. This was dated 1168, at St. Batholomews Rolls, also city of London, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, known as the Church Builder, 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
The surname Bezants. Its genealogy, origins, history, and meaning.
Discovering the historical origins of Bezants is an incredibly exciting journey that takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who built this lineage. Like most surnames, the history of the surname Bezants is a thorny and surprising journey into the past in order to find out the origin of the surname Bezants, which leads us to have more knowledge about those who bear the surname Bezants, their origin, their coat of arms, the bibliography in which it appears... It is possible to trace their genealogy and, in addition to the original places of Bezants, we know where it is possible to find people with the surname Bezants today.
View complete list of Bezants in the world
Bezants: historical chronicle
The history of Bezants is an interesting sequence of events that were protagonized by the people who have held the surname Bezants throughout history, and it is possible to trace this history back to the first bearers of the surname Bezants. Their feats, their way of life, the places they lived, their family relationships, the jobs they held... All of this is crucial for anyone who, like you, is interested in having more information about the historical, heraldic, coat of arms, and nobility of the surname Bezants. In the following lines, you can find everything we have been able to compile about the surname Bezants. However, if you have more information that you would like to share, we would greatly appreciate your contribution to expand the knowledge of people who, like you, are looking to increase their knowledge about the surname Bezants.
Unfortunately, we do not have any more historical information about Bezants than the one we have provided with pleasure. We invite those who visit us on this website to analyze the recommended bibliography and to come back often, since we often receive valuable collaborations from other people interested in the origin and history of surnames that could have information of special interest about the surname Bezants, and that we would update on this website as soon as possible (after a previous verification). Similarly, if you consider yourself one of those people, we urge you to support us and send us the information about Bezants that is available to you, thanking you in advance for your detail.
The most famous Bezants in history
There have probably been some significant Bezants throughout the history of humanity, even if, for some reason, not all of their contributions were included in the chronicles of the time or their data has not come down to the present day. Unfortunately, not all of the important contributions of people who have carried the surname Bezants were taken into account at the time by the chroniclers of the time. Although a surname has the ability to link a person to a famous lineage and a glorious coat of arms, it is individuals who, throughout their lives and by virtue of some outstanding or important achievements for the society in which they lived, give their surnames renown and it is possible to establish prominent lineages. For this reason, we want to highlight on this website those people with the surname Bezants who, for some reason, have left their mark on the course of history.
The surname Bezants and its bibliographic sources
Based on all the research we have been able to gather so far, we can say that there is information available about the history, genealogy, and heraldry of the surname Bezants thanks to bibliographic sources. This means that we can discover more about its original meaning, origin, history, coat of arms, and heraldry. Our recommendation is to consult the following sources if you want to conduct research on the surname Bezants, as well as many other surnames:
Bibliographic sources for Bezants
These sources are essential for taking a step forward in the study of Bezants, and of surnames in general.
