This interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from either of two places. Firstly, the surname may be from "Beddingham" in Sussex, recorded as "Beadyngham" in the Saxon Chronicle (801), and as "Bedingham" in the Domesday Book of 1086; the placename derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century personal name "Beada", with "ing", people of, and "ham", village, homestead; hence "the village of Beada's people". Secondly, the surname may be from "Beddington" in Surrey, recorded as "Beaddinctun" in the Saxon Chronicle (901), and as "Beddintone" in the Domesday Book, which has as its first element the personal name "Beadda", and as its last the Olde English "tun", enclosure, homestead; hence "the enclosure of Beadda's people". Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. Recordings of the surname from English Church Registers include: the christening of Richard, son of Johnn Bedding, on December 23rd 1571 at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London; and the marriage of Custans Beding and Johannes Bartlet on January 24th 1584 at Cowfold, Sussex. One of the earliest settlers in the New World was Rebecca Bedding, aged 18 yrs., who departed from the port of London aboard the "Ann and Elizabeth", bound for the Barbadoes in April 1635. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Beeding, which was dated March 6th 1562, witness at a christening at Wilmington, Sussex, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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