The name BYSOUTH is most unusual, and therefore, most occurrences of it appear to be part of the one great family. The name is found in early parish records particularly in Reed, Hertfordshire, England, and then extends out to nearby villages at Barkway, Nuthampstead, and Barley. The only other centre for Bysouth names in Hertfordshire in early times was Hemel Hempstead. A little map of the district can be found here. Other migrations then occurred, particularly to London and Essex, and then beyond England, out to Australia and New Zealand.

Early versions of spelling include Besowthe, Besouth, South and Bisouth. Most male members of the family in rural areas were farm labourers. Parish, census and IGI records have been examined to obtain the information. I am grateful to Ed Woods on Genes Reunited for providing the structure and much of the content of generations 1-9. I apologise for any errors that may have occurred in assumptions or transcriptions.

The layout of this website is in the form of the 14 generations, with supporting data on census transcription pages, IGI index transcription pages, a complete index of names of everyone mentioned (the "Names" button above), and a page index that leads directly to each individual page in the website (the "Page Index" button above). To start reading from oldest downwards, press the button above ("Family History Next Gen"). The Home Page button takes you to my other family trees.

There are many gaps and assumptions which may be proved or disproved later with further evidence, particularly about the gap in the Reed parish records around 1800.

In such a huge tree, it is possible that there might be many mistaken assumptions due to identical names, ages and places. I would be delighted to have any of these pointed out to me, or if anyone can provide further information.

The direct line to Fred Shade is (1) Thomas Besowthe, (2) William Besowthe, (3) Edward Besowthe & Annis, (4) Edward Besowthe, (5) Joseph Besouth & Elisabethe Manne, (6) John South/Bysouth & Elizabeth Allen, (7) John Bysouth & Mary Fuller, (8) John Bysouth & Susan Mason, (9) William Bysouth & Hannah Blackman, (10) Joseph Bysouth & Ruth Whitmer, (11) James Bysouth & Mary Ann Manning, (12) James Bysouth & Elizabeth Ann Bickle, (13) Sarah Ann Bysouth & Alfred Thomas Johnson,(14) Ada Eveline Johnson and Albert Shade, (15) Albert Ernest Shade & Mary Beatrice Chapple.