5,085 Global Belden Family Members

Belden Family History

This is an English locational surname. Recorded in the spellings of Balden, Beldon, Baildon, Bayldon, and no doubt others, it originates from the ancient town of Baildon, in the former West Riding of Yorkshire. Baildon is first recorded as a place name in the spelling of 'Baegeltun' in the Yorkshire Charters of the year 1030. This pre-dates the Norman Invasion of 1066, usually regarded as the start of 'modern history'. The place name and hence the later surname, could mean ' berry hill' or 'the place where the berries grow', but more logically it was probably 'fire hill' from the Olde English pre 7th century 'bel dun', and a reference to a hill where a beacon was provided to warn against the ever likely invasion from the east, or the raids from the north by the Scots.