A legacy of contribution & achievement
BellFamilyHistory.com is dedicated to preserving the history of the Bell family. We support the research of all Bell family lines and provide information and links for all such research. Further. we specifically document the line of Joseph Bell, of Thorsk, York, England (b. 1627).
The Bell family originated in the border areas of Scotland and England and is listed as one of Scotland's 25 Most Prominent Clans. Important to the Bell heritage are the Bell Crest, Battle Hymn of the Bell's, the Bell Tartan and the Bell Family Motto. The Bell name is generally thought to have come from "bel" or "belle" meaning "beautiful" or "handsome".
There is evidence that the family settled in the southwest of Scotland in the 12th century, and possibly earlier, specifically in Annandale, North Cumberland and Liddesdale. Today, the Bells are particularly numerous in Northumberland and have long been associated with the parish of Middlebie in Dumfriesshire. There is an old Scots saying, "As numerous as the Bells of Middlebie."
William Bell, also known as Redcloak of Blackethouse, was the last chief of the Bell Clan and died in 1628. Other prominent Bells of Great Brittan include John Bell (d. 1556) who was appointed Bishop of Worcester, Dr. Joseph Bell was the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes, and Rev. Patrick Bell (1801-1869), invented the first reaping machine, Today's reapers are based on his original design.
According to the American Genealogical Research Institute, many Bells are of royal decent. Further, numerous members of the Bell family have been knighted, including, Sir Charles Bell (1774-1842), a surgeon and anatomist who discovered the distinct functions of nerves. Sir Thomas Bell was one of the largest employers in the sixteenth century. Sir Charles Bell is the author of "Grammar of Colloquial Tibetan", and Sir Raymond Bell (d. 2002) a shrewd official who eased Britain's passage into Europe.
Great Britten has several sites of important Bell history. Ruins of Blackethouse, the home of William Bell the last Bell Clan Chief, still exists today in Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The Old Bell Hotel & Restaurant - reputed to be the oldest hotel in England - can be found next to the ancient Abbey in the centre of the picturesque small medieval town of Malmesbury, situated in the southern Cotswolds between Cirencester and Bath. There are several Bell Inns and Bell Manor Homes in Great Britain.
From the Bell' roots in Great Brittan, members of the family have immigrated to Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, England, Honduras, Republic of Ireland, India, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, Uruguay, United States and Venezuela.
According to the American Genealogical Research Institute, "The Bell family has been prominent in the British Empire and in America, its members having played important roles in war and in peace." Some decedents of the Bell Clan immigrated to America in the 1600's, colonized America, fought in the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
Just as their Scottish and British ancestors, Bells in the United States have continued their legacy of contribution and achievement. Prominent Bells in the United States include, Alexander Graham Bell, (1847 -1922) inventor of the telephone, Laurence Bell (1894-1956) founder of Bell Aircraft Corporation, the manufacturer of the P-59, America's first jet airplane, X-1, the world's first super-sonic plane as well as the Bell Helicopter, Glen Bell, founder of Taco Bell, Alfonzo Bell, a developer who purchased the 4,500 acres in 1922, and named his development Bel-Air, which is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the world.
The most successful men in the end are those
whose success is the result of steady accretion.
-Alexander Graham Bell
According to the American Genealogical Research Institute, "There are numerous counties, townships, streets, avenues bearing the name 'Bell.' This is eloquent testimony to the high esteem in which the name is held in this country." These towns have been named by Bell family members or in honor of them:
Bel-Air, California
Bell, California
Bell, Florida
Bell, New Mexico
Bell, Pennsylvania
Bell City, Louisiana
Bell City, Montana
Bell Ranch, New Mexico
Bell Springs, California
Belltown, Tennessee
Bellvale, New York
Bellville, Georgia
Bellville, Ohio
Bellville, Texas
Bell Center, Wisconsin
Bell Farm, Kentucky
Bell Cross Roads, Virginia
Bells Trace, Kentucky
Bells Valley, Virginia
Bellview, Alaska
Bellwood, Alabama
Bellwood, Louisiana
Bellwood, Nebraska
Bellwood, Pennsylvania
Bellwood, West Virginia
This website is dedicated to assisting new generations of Bells in understanding and appreciating their heritage, in the hopes that they will move forward to build on this legacy and continue making positive contributions to society.
An excellent source of Bell family information can also be found at ClanBell.com.