Bingham

The surname Bingham is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English words "binnan" meaning "within" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village". It likely originated as a place name referring to someone who lived within a particular village or settlement.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Bingham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Binghame" and "Bingheham", referring to locations in Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. These place names likely gave rise to the surname, as it was common for people to take their last names from the towns or villages they lived in.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Bingham was Sir Richard Bingham, who lived in the 13th century and was a prominent landowner in Nottinghamshire. Another notable figure was Sir John Bingham (c. 1400-1460), a Member of Parliament and Sheriff of Nottinghamshire during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the Bingham family became prominent landowners in Dorset, with Richard Bingham (c. 1528-1599) serving as Sheriff of Dorset and Somerset. His son, Sir Richard Bingham (1564-1657), was a notable military figure who served as Governor of Connaught in Ireland.

The 17th century saw the rise of George Bingham (1616-1668), a Parliamentarian officer during the English Civil War, and his son George Bingham (1668-1723), who became a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bingham include Hiram Bingham III (1875-1956), the American explorer and academic who rediscovered the Incan city of Machu Picchu in 1911, and Barry Bingham Sr. (1872-1923), an American judge and newspaper publisher who owned The Courier-Journal and The Louisville Times.