Beasant or Besant is an
English language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...
surname derived from a coin called the ''byzantius'' which is named after the city of
Byzantium
Byzantium () or Byzantion ( grc, Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city in classical antiquity that became known as Constantinople in late antiquity and Istanbul today. The Greek name ''Byzantion'' and its Latinization ''Byzantium'' cont ...
where they were first minted.
[ Bezant]
Because of the circular nature of the coins the word byzantius, or
bezant, as it travelled across Europe, came to mean the 'circle or disk' represented on a coat of arms (in old French), also known as a
roundel
A roundel is a circular disc used as a symbol. The term is used in heraldry, but also commonly used to refer to a type of national insignia used on military aircraft, generally circular in shape and usually comprising concentric rings of differ ...
.
The Beasants were gardeners in the King's court.
Notable people with the surname Besant
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Annie Besant
Annie Besant ( Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, freemason, women's rights activist, educationist, writer, orator, political party member and philanthropist.
Regarded as a champion of human f ...
, prominent
Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator.
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Derek Michael Besant
Derek Michael Besant (born 1950) is a Canadian artist living in Calgary, Alberta who, since the 1980s, has created prints, watercolours and large-scale art, shown in exhibitions and as public art projects in Canada and abroad. Since the mid-199 ...
, Canadian artist.
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Henry Besant, venue manager.
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Mabel Besant-Scott
Mabel Emily Besant-Scott ("Mabs") (''née'' Besant; 28 August 1870 in Leckhampton, Cheltenham – 22 May 1952 in Folkestone, Kent) was a Theosophist, Co-Freemason and Rosicrucian.
She was the daughter of the famous Theosophist, Secularist, ...
, English Theosophist.
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Sir Walter Besant
Sir Walter Besant (14 August 1836 – 9 June 1901) was an English novelist and historian. William Henry Besant was his brother, and another brother, Frank, was the husband of Annie Besant.
Early life and education
The son of wine merchant Will ...
, English novelist and historian.
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William Henry Besant
William Henry Besant (1 November 1828 – 2 June 1917) was a British mathematician, brother of novelist Walter Besant. Another brother, Frank, was the husband of Annie Besant.
Parentage
William was born in Portsea, Portsmouth on 1 November 18 ...
, British mathematician.
Notable people with the surname Beasant
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Dave Beasant
David John Beasant (; born 20 March 1959) is an English football coach and former football goalkeeper.
As a player, he was a goalkeeper, who notably played top-flight football for Wimbledon, Newcastle United, Chelsea, Southampton and Nottingham ...
, English football goalkeeper.
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Sam Beasant, English goalkeeper.
See also
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