John, George and David
The site names 20 Johns, 12 Georges and six Davids. In nine generations of the Northumberland family, 26 of 56 sons carried one of the three names.
How many of each
One square for each person. Filled squares are people in the Northumberland or Australia family tree; outlined squares have their own article but are not linked to either tree. Select a square to open that person’s article.
Counted by first name: John David Besford (1883) is a John, and Robert John Besford (1950) is not.
When they were born
George and John run through the family from 1680. David first appears in 1863, and from then on all three names are in use in the same generations.
Not shown: John de Besford (1295–1341), born before 1650; and six with no birth year, among them the George buried at Rothbury in 1721.
Generation by generation
Every Besford son in the Northumberland tree, counted in generations from James Besford, who married Margaret Robson at Rothbury in 1679. Grey squares are sons with other names.
Generation 4 has two Johns in one family: George and Mary Besford’s son John died in 1782, and their next son, born in 1783, was also named John. Generation 6 has two Johns born to John and Margaret Besford, in 1859 and 1868.
Besford names over time
Every Besford on the site with a birth year, counted by first name and the half century of birth. Each chart is a name given to at least three Besfords, and all 10 share one scale.
106 people with a birth year. Born in each half century: 1650–1699, 1; 1700–1749, 6; 1750–1799, 16; 1800–1849, 16; 1850–1899, 39; 1900–1949, 23; 1950–1999, 5. The latest birth year on the site is 1988, so the last half century is incomplete. Not shown: four medieval Besfords born before 1650, and 40 people with no birth year.
All 38 Johns, Georges and Davids as a list
| Name | Where on the site |
|---|---|
| John de Besford (1295–1341) | Not linked to a family tree: Son of Alexander de Besford |
| John Besford (1717–1788) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1749–1816) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1775–1782) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1783–1784) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1789–1825) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1820–1875) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1826–1914) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1859) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1868–1869) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1872–1954) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1879–1946) | Not linked to a family tree: Died at Hartford Colliery |
| John David Besford (1883-?) | Not linked to a family tree: Cabinetmaker, from Glasgow to Ontario |
| John Besford (1890–1916) | Not linked to a family tree: Northumberland Hussars |
| John William (Jack) Besford (1891–1975) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (1903-) | Northumberland tree |
| John Charles Preston (Jack) Besford (1911–1993) | Not linked to a family tree: British and European swimming champion |
| John Besford (1944-) | Northumberland tree |
| John Besford (MP) | Not linked to a family tree: Member of Parliament for Northampton, elected 1388 |
| Dr John Besford | Not linked to a family tree: Harley Street prosthodontist |
| George Besford (1680-) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1719-?) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1743–1820) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1779–1804) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1831–1908) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1852–1935) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford (1871–1938) | Not linked to a family tree: Shipbuilder, then cinema manager |
| George Besford (1893–1966) | Northumberland tree |
| George Bestford (1897–1968) | Not linked to a family tree: South African Police |
| George Robert Besford (1909–1981) | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford | Northumberland tree |
| George Besford, buried Rothbury in 1721 | Not linked to a family tree: Son of the Widow Besford, Snitter; not yet identified |
| David Besford (1863–1954) | Northumberland tree |
| David Besford (1897–1991) | Northumberland tree |
| David Besford (1919–2015) | Northumberland tree |
| David Besford (1946-) | Northumberland tree |
| David Besford | Australia tree |
| David Besford (skipper) | Not linked to a family tree: Lowestoft trawler skipper |