Belcher Family Website
A Puritan Man

History of The Belcher Family

Introduction

     Among those who have made surnames their special study, Robert Ferguson of London in 1864 took
the position that nearly all European names are based on Central European or Teutonic derivations.
 He holds that the world was originally peopled from India by the Aryas, (those who speak Aryan languages,
 "whatever their color or blood") declaring that races have spread out from that part of the world,
climates changing their complexion and speech, also residence in valleys, on mountains, in deserts,
on seacoasts, etc. In this opinion he is in practical agreement with H.G. Wells, whose "Outline of History"
 admirably summarizes all known chronicles of human activity.

    Although Ferguson does not mention the name BELCHER, his deductions form so close an approximation
 to it that they may be regarded as authoratative as indicated by the following passage:
 " if the word 'horn' may be taken to have the meaning of illegitimate, there is another word 'belis',
 also occurring in men's names, which according to Grimm, has the opposite meaning.
 It is found in the name of Belisarius, the famous general under Emperor Justinian, and there are eight
 other instances of the same name, with some important variations, in the "Altdeutsches Namenbach",
Grimm refers to the Gothic valis legitimate, and makes 'Belisar" a Gothic Valishar (hart warrior).
The following modern names are introduced."[1]

                                           Old German: 6th century, Belisar.
                                   English: Belsar, Pallisar.
                                   French: Ballisar, Belseur, Pelissar.
                                   Italian: Belisario

In the line foregoing, we find that the name "Belesar", as given by Ferguson, we have the equivalent of Beleseur,
 which appears on the Battle Abbey Roll, and which resembles very closely the family name of Belcher.
 Burke's "Dictionary of Peerages of England, Ireland & Scotland" published in 1831,
refers to this roll as given by Holingshed:

[1] "Teutonic Name System" by Robert Ferguson (1864) Page 520.

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