Bell (surname)
Bell is a surname common in English speaking countries with several word-origins.
The surname is derived from the Middle English bell . This surname likely originated as an occupational name for a bell ringer or bell maker; or else from a topographic name for someone who lived by an actual bell , or by a house sign or inn sign . In other cases, the surname Bell is derived from the mediaeval personal name Bel . The masculine form of this personal name is derived from the Old French beu , bel ("handsome"); the feminine form of the name represents a short form of Isobel nickname , or descriptive name, derived from the Old French bel ("beautiful", "fair").[ 1] [ note 1] Norway (Bell) and Germany (Bell in Rhineland ; and possibly Belle, in Westphalia ). The surname Bell is also sometimes an Anglicized form of the German Böhl or Böll [ 1]
Early attested forms of the surname when of a patronymic origin include: Ailuuardus "filius Belli ", in 1086; Ricardus "filius Bell ", in 1279; and Osbertus "filius Belle ", in 1297. Early attested forms of the surname, when originating from an occupational name include: Seaman "Belle ", in 1181–1187; and Serlo "Belle ", in 1190. An early attested form of the surname when originating from someone who lived near a sign of a bell is: John "atte Belle ", in 1332. Early attested forms of the surname when originating from nickname include: Hugo "bel " in 1148; and Robertus "bellus ", and Robert "le bel ", both in 1186–1200.[ 3] Bell can be found in many parts of the world. It is the 67th most popular surname in the United States and the 36th most common surname in Scotland.[ 4]
A
Aaron Bell (musician) (1922–2003), American musicianAaron Bell (politician) (born 1980), British Conservative politicianActon Bell, pseudonym of Anne Brontë
Adino Nye Bell (1866–1956), American politicianAdolphus Bell (1944–2013), American musicianAdrian Bell (1901–1980), English journalist and farmer; father of Martin BellAl Bell (born 1940), American musical artist and executiveAlden John Bell (1904–1982), Roman Catholic bishopAlexander Graham Bell (1847–1922), Scottish-Canadian-American inventor, teacher, engineer, and scientist, son of Alexander Melville BellAlexander Melville Bell (1819–1905), Scottish-American philologist, researcher and teacher, father of Alexander Graham BellAlexandra Bell (artist) (born 1983), American artistAlexandra Bell (athlete) (born 1992), British middle-distance runnerAlison Bell (disambiguation) , 7 people including
Allan Bell (born 1947), Manx politician, Chief Minister of the Isle of ManAllan Bell (sociolinguist) (born 1947), New Zealand sociolinguistAllan Gordon Bell (born 1953), Canadian contemporary classical composerAlphonzo E. Bell Sr. (1875–1947), American oil millionaire; father of Alphonzo E. Bell Jr.Alphonzo E. Bell Jr. (1914–2004), American politicianAmanda Bell (born 1988), American Mixed Martial ArtistAmari'i Bell (born 1994), footballerAmir Bell (born 1996), American basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League Andi Bell (born 1972), British Memory championAndrew Bell (disambiguation) , 9 people, including:
Andy Bell (disambiguation) , 9 people, including:
Angellica Bell (born 1976), English television and radio presenterAnthea Bell (1936–2018), English translator of literary works including Asterix Anthony Bell (American football) (born 1964), Retired American gridiron football playerAnthony Bell (director) (born 1970), American animator, film director and screenwriterAran Bell (born 1998) American ballet dancerArchie Bell (singer) (born 1944), American musicianArthur Bell (disambiguation) , 11 people, including:
See also
B
Beau Bell (1907–1977), American baseball playerBeau Bell (American football) , (born 1986), American gridiron football playerBen Bell , New Zealand politicianBenny Bell (1906–1999), American singer-songwriterBert Bell (1895–1959), American football player, coach, and executiveBilly Bell (disambiguation) , 15 people including:
Bob Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleBobby Bell (born 1940), American footballerBradley Bell (born 1964), American television writer and producerBrenda Bell (1891–1979), pioneer amateur radio operator from New ZealandBrendan Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Brian Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Buddy Bell (born 1951), American baseball playerBurton C. Bell (born 1969), American rock singer
See also
C
Cammy Bell (born 1986), Scottish international football goalkeeperCarey Bell (1936–2007), American blues harpistCaroline M. Bell (1874–1970), American artistCaroline Bell , professor of psychological medicine in New ZealandCatherine Bell (actress) (born 1968), British-American actressCatherine J. Bell (born 1954), Canadian politicianCharles Bell (1774–1842), Scottish surgeonCharles Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Charles Bell (surveyor) (1813–1882), Scottish surveyor, general, artist, and designerCharles Bell (painter) , (1935–1995), American Photorealist who created large scale still lifes.Charles H. Bell (politician) (1823–1893), American politicianCharles H. Bell (naval officer) (1798–1875), United States naval officerCharlie Bell (baseball) (1868–1937), Major League Baseball pitcherCharlie Bell (businessman) (c. 1960 – 2005), Australian businessmanCharlie Bell (basketball) (born 1979), United States basketball playerChichester A. Bell , American sound engineerChris Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Clive Bell (1881–1964), British art critic and philosopherCoby Bell (born 1975), American actor and producerColin Bell , multiple peopleCool Papa Bell , American baseball playerCurrer Bell, pseudonym of Charlotte Brontë
D
Daniel Bell (1919–2011), American sociologistDanna C. Bell , American archivist and librarianD'Anthony Bell (born 1996), American football playerDavid Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
David Bell (baseball) (born 1972), American baseball playerDavid Bell (basketball) (born 1981), American basketball playerDavid Bell (television) (1936–1990), Scottish TV producer and directorDavid Bell (field hockey player) , Australian field hockey playerDavid Bell (footballer, born 1984) (born 1984), English-born Irish footballerDavid Bell (footballer, born 1985) (born 1985), Irish footballerDavid Bell (VC) , Irish soldierDavid Robert Bell (born 1959), Vice-Chancellor of the University of ReadingDean Bell (born 1962), New Zealand rugby league footballer and coachDemetress Bell (born 1984), American football offensive tackleDennis Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Derek Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Derrick Bell , American law professorDiane Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleDillon Bell (1822–1898), New Zealand politician
Don Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleDoug Bell (game designer) (born 1961), American computer game developerDouglas John Bell (1893–1918), South African World War I fighter aceDrake Bell (born 1986), American actor and guitaristDrew Tyler Bell (born 1986), American actor and performerDuncan Bell , English rugby union playerDuncan Bell (actor) , Scottish actor
E
Earl Bell (born 1955), American pole vaulterEdith Anna Bell (1870–1929) Irish sculptorEdward Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleEdmond Bell , English MPEileen Bell (born 1943), Northern Ireland politicianEileen Bell (artist) (1907–2005), British artistElizabeth Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Ellis Bell, pseudonym of Emily Brontë
Emily Bell (born 1965), British journalistEmma Bell (born 1986), American actressEric Temple Bell (1883–1960), American mathematicianErnest Bell (animal rights activist) (1851–1933), British author, animal rights activist, humanitarian, and vegetarianErnest Bell (footballer) , English footballer
F
G
Gary Bell (baseball) (born 1936), American Major League Baseball pitcherGary Bell (footballer) (born 1947), English (soccer) footballerGeoff Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Geoffrey Bell (born 1939), economist, bankerGeoffrey Bell (cricketer) (1896–1984), English cricketer and educationalistGeorge Bell (disambiguation) , one of several people including
Gerald Gordon Bell (1890–1970), Canadian flying aceGertrude Bell (1868–1926), British archaeologist, writer & spyGladys Kathleen Bell (1882–1965), English painterGlen Bell , American founder of Taco Bell restaurant chainGordon Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:Gordon Bell (born 1934), computer engineerGordon Bell (artist) , British comic strip artistGordon Bell (QNX) , Canadian computer scientistGordon Bell (ice hockey) , ice hockey playerGraeme Bell (1914–2012), Australian pianist, composer and band leaderGraham Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Grant Bell , Australian rugby league coachGriffin Bell (1918–2009), American politicianGus Bell (1928–1995), American Baseball player
H
Harriet Bell (1923–1995), American advocate for disability rightsHazel K. Bell , English indexer and writerHeath Bell (born 1977), American baseball playerHelen Bell , English folk musicianHenri Lobe Bell , Duala ruler in CameroonHenry Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Hi Bell (1897–1949), professional baseball playerHilari Bell (born 1958), American fantasy writerHilary Bell (swimmer) (born 1991), swimmer from CanadaHilary Bell (television producer) (1965–2010), reality television pioneerHilary Bell (writer) (born 1966), Australian writerHilliard Brooke Bell (1897–1960), Canadian flying aceHugh Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleHunter Bell , American book author
I
J
J. Ernest Bell II (born 1941), American politician and lawyerJ. Franklin Bell (1856–1919), U.S. Army Chief of Staff (1906–1910)Jack Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Jacob Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleJaheim Bell (born 2001), American football playerJames Franklin Bell , US Army Major General, Medal Of Honor recipient, US Army Chief of StaffJames Spencer-Bell (1818–1872), British politicianJamie Bell (born 1986), British actorJames Bell (basketball) (born 1992), Basketball PlayerJane Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleJay Bell (born 1965), American baseball playerJeanne Bell (1888–1978), British artistJeff Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleJocelyn Bell Burnell (born 1943), British astronomerJoel Bell (born 1985), professional Canadian football playerJohann Adam Schall von Bell , German Jesuit missionaryJohn Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
John Bell (Bishop of Worcester) (died 1556), English clergymanJohn Bell (New Hampshire) (1765–1836), American politician, Governor of New HampshireJohn Bell (Tennessee politician) (1797–1869), American politician from TennesseeJohn Bell (explorer) (1799–1868), Canadian explorer and governorJohn Bell (Australian actor) , Australian Shakespearean actorJohn Joy Bell (1871–1934), Scottish authorJohn L. Bell , Scottish religious figureJohn Lane Bell , Canadian philosopher and mathematicianJohn Stewart Bell (1928–1990), British physicist originated Bell's TheoremJohn Thomas Bell (1878–1965), British businessman, founder of Bellway home buildersJohn Bell (surgeon) (1763–1820), brother of Charles Bell (anatomist)John Bell (British Army officer) , Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey 1848–1854John William Bell (1838–1901), Canadian political figureJohn Bell (musician) , American guitarist and singerJohn Bell (farmer) from The Bell Witch legendJohn Graham Bell (1812–1899), American taxidermistJohn Howatt Bell (1846–1929), Prince Edward Island politicianJohn Irving Bell (born 1952), British–Canadian biologistJon Bell (disambiguation) , several people called Jonathan or Jon BellJonny Bell (rugby union) , rugby union playerJoique Bell (born 1986), American football playerJoseph-Antoine Bell (born 1954), Cameroonian international football goalkeeperJoseph Bell (1837–1911), Scottish physician, pioneer of forensic diagnostics, inspiration for Sherlock HolmesJosh Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleJoshua Bell (born 1967), American musicianJoshua Peter Bell (1827–1881), Queensland ParliamentarianJosiah Hughes Bell (1791–1838), American pioneerJoyce Rockenbach Bell , American coleopteristJulia Bell (1879–1979), British geneticistJulian Bell (1908–1937), English poetJulie Bell (born 1958), American painterJustin Bell (born 1968), British racecar driver, son of Derek Bell
K
Kahlil Bell (born 1986), American football playerKathleen Bell , American physician and professorKatie Bell (Harry Potter) , Harry Potter characterKay Bell (1914–1994), American football player and professional wrestlerKeith Bell (rugby league, born 1934) , rugby league footballer of the 1950s for New Zealand, Auckland, and PonsonbyKeith Bell (rugby league, born 1953) , English rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990sKeith Bell (rugby union) (born 1948), rugby union player who represented AustraliaKendrell Bell (born 1980), American football linebackerKenneth B. Bell , American judgeKenny Bell (born 1992), American football playerKerwin Bell (born 1965), American college and professional football playerKierstan Bell (born 2000), American basketball playerKristen Bell (born 1980), American actressKristine Bell , American engineer
L
Lake Bell (born 1979), American actressLarry Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Larry Bell (artist) (born 1939), contemporary artist based in Los Angeles, California and Taos, New MexicoLarry M. Bell , Democratic member of the North Carolina General AssemblyLarry Gene Bell (1949–1996), double murderer in Lexington County, South CarolinaLaura Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Lauralee Bell (born 1968), actressLauren Bell (born 1999), Scottish cyclistLauren Bell (cricketer) (born 2001), English cricketerLawrence Dale Bell (1894–1956), American aviation pioneerLee Phillip Bell , talk show host and soap opera creatorLes Bell (1901–1985), professional baseball playerLe'Veon Bell (born 1992), American football playerLilian Bell (1867–1929); pen name, "Mrs. Arthur Hoyt Bogue", American novelist, travel writerLouis Bell (born 1982), American music producerLouis Bell (engineer) (1864–1923), American engineer, physicist, and academic
M
Mabel Bell (1857–1923), wife of inventor Alexander Graham BellMadeline Bell (born 1942), American soul singerMadison Smartt Bell (born 1957), American authorMaggie Bell (born 1945), British singerMalcolm Bell (cricketer) (born 1969), English cricketerMalcolm Bell (entrepreneur) (born 1981), British businessmanManga Ndumbe Bell (1838–1898), Duala ruler in CameroonMarc Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Maria Arena Bell (born 1963), American novelist, television and freelance writerMarie Bell (1900–1985), French tragedian, comic actor and stage directorMarie Bell (educationalist) (1922–2012), New Zealand educationalist, lecturer and teacherMarilyn Bell (born 1937), swimmerMarjorie Bell (1906–2001), British electrical engineer and factory inspectorMark Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleMarkquese Bell (born 1999), American football playerMarshall Bell (born 1942), American actorMartin Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Martyn Bell (born 1964), British racing driverMarvin Bell (1937–2020), American poetMary Bell (born 1957), British killer childMatthew Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleMatty Bell (1899–1983), American football player and coachMelissa Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Michael Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleMontgomery Bell (1769–1855), Tennessee manufacturing entrepreneurMorley Bell (1894–1976), Canadian lawyer and politician
N
O
P
Q
R
Raja Bell (born 1976), American basketball playerRegla Bell (born 1970), Cuban volleyball playerRichard Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Ricky Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Rita Bell (1893–1992), American singer, entertainerRobert Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Rolanda Bell (born 1987), Panamanian steeplechase runnerRonald Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Ronnie Bell British chemist at Oxford UniversityRonnie Bell (American football) (born 2000), American football playerRoss Bell (1929–2019), American entomologistRoy Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Rudolf Duala Manga Bell (1873–1914), Duala ruler in CameroonRyan Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people.Ryan J. Bell (born 1971), Seventh-day Adventist Pastor, later an Atheist activist.
S
Sam Bell (footballer, born 1909) (1909–1982), English professional footballerSam H. Bell (1925–2010), American jurist – OhioSam Hanna Bell (1909–1990), Northern Irish novelist, short story writer, playwright, and broadcasterSamuel Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Sandy Bell (1906–1985), South African Test cricketerSean Bell (1984–2006), African American shot by New York City policeShannon Bell (born 1955), Canadian philosopher and feministShona M. Bell (1924–2011), New Zealand palaeontologistSkylar Bell (born 2002), American football playerSolon Bell , American union leaderStefan Bell (born 1991), German footballer with 1. FSV Mainz 05 in the BundesligaStephen Bell (1965–2001), English footballerSteve Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Steven Bell (born 1976), Australian rugby league playerStuart Bell (1938–2012), British Labour Party politicianStuart R. Bell , American academic, President of the University of Alabama
T
Tatum Bell (born 1981), American football running backTerrel Bell (1921–1996), American Secretary of EducationTerrell Bell (born 1973), American basketball playerTerry Bell (disambiguation) , multiple peopleTheo Bell (1953–2006), American football wide receiverThom Bell (1943–2022), Jamaican-American music producerThomas Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Tim Bell , British public relations and political adviserTina Bell (1957–2012), American singerTobin Bell , American actorTom Bell (Australian footballer) (born 1991), Australian rules footballerTownsend Bell (born 1975), motor racing driver, married to actress Heather CampbellTravis Bell (born 1998), American football playerTrevor Bell (disambiguation) , multiple people, including:
Troy Bell (born 1980), American professional basketball player
V
Van D. Bell (1918–2009), American Marine officer, recipient of two Navy CrossesVanessa Bell (1879–1961), British painterVera Bell (1906-?), Jamaican writerVereen Bell , American writerVernon Bell , founder of the British karate movementVictor Bell (1878–1965), Australian Methodist and Presbyterian ministerVinnie Bell (1932–2019), born Vincent Gambella, American session guitaristViola Bell (1897–1990), New Zealand community leaderVirginia Bell (actress) , American model and actress
W
Y
Yeremiah Bell (born 1978), American football safety for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League
See also
Notes
^ The surname Bell , when found in Kintyre and Islay , is said to represent this Gaelic surname because a man bearing the Gaelic name married a woman of the English name. The explanation runs: since the woman held property, the man changed his surname to Bell , but was still known in Gaelic by his original name.[ 2]
References
^ a b Oxford Dictionary of Family Names: Bell Answers.com , retrieved 8 January 2013 Dictionary of American Family Names , Oxford University Press, 2006^ Black, George Fraser (1946), The surnames of Scotland: their origin, meaning, and history , New York Public Library , p. 67 ^ Reaney, Percy Hilde (1995), Wilson, Richard Middlewood (ed.), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press , p. 37, ISBN 0-19-863146-4 ^ "BELL – Surname Meaning – Origin for the Surname Bell Genealogy" . Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012 .
