Bell
A common surname with several roots, most often from the Old French word for “beautiful” or “fair.”
The #106 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,400 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bell is not a single-origin surname. In medieval records it can reflect Old French bel / belle, meaning “fair,” “handsome,” or “beautiful,” used as a nickname or as part of a personal name. It may also come from a sign-name for a house or inn marked by a bell, and some early examples suggest an origin from a personal name rather than a description.
History
English records show Bell in several medieval forms, including fil Bele, le Bel, and atte Bell. Nineteenth-century surname scholars noted that the name had multiple independent origins, which helps explain why it became so widespread. In Scotland and along the border counties, Bell became especially common and formed a long-established border surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Some early sources explicitly treat Bell as a surname with three possible origins: a personal name, a nickname, and a local sign-name.
From the historical record
“CO. Nottingham. BELL. This common surname is doubt- less le Bel, 0. Fr. for fine, handsome ; and in this form it is found in the H.R. The chief habitation of the Bells has long been on the Scottish border. In a MS. of 1590, relating to the defences of that district, we find in Cumberland, under Bridekirk, this…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom