• 1208 Robert de Billeclif mentioned as holding land in Billeclif
• 1297 Thomas de Billeclyve was a juror on an inquisition into a land dispute in the Graveship of Holne. There are several other mentions of this Thomas in the Wakefield Court Rolls at the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century, and of other people named as "€œde Billecliff"€. As this was before the development of hereditary surnames, they are not necessarily related.
• 1379 Johannes de Bylclyf and his wife Johanna paid 4d poll tax in the township of Penistone.
• 1455 Thomas Bentclyff "€œbarbour"€ freeman of York.
• 1472 William Bilcliffe recorded as a clergyman in Lincolnshire
• 1546 Five people named Bilclyff were taxed under the Lay Subsidy in the Sandal Magna area.
• 1587 Roberte Bilcliffe of High Hoyland named on the muster roll for the Wapentake of Staincross.
• 1591 Thomas Bylcliffe , gentleman, of Leeds, admitted as a student to the Inner Temple.
• 1633 Thomas Bilcliffe of Thrybergh listed as a member of Sir John Reresby'€™s Militia Troop.
• 1633 Administration of the estate of Amer Bickliff, died "€œoverseas on the Amazon"€ granted to Roger North , creditor, at London.
• 1637 Richard Bilcliffe named with four others in connection with a land grant of 300 acres in Fluvanna County Virginia to Robert Throckmorton.
• 1645 Richard Bilcliffe of Houghton, Royalist, in charge of Houghton volunteers.
• 1651 Edward Bilcliffe elected constable of Cumberworth half.
• 1659 Jane Bilcliffe and Bernard Bilcliffe her father mentioned in a will in Barbados.
• 1661 Joseph Bilcliffe listed as a bookseller in Great Piazza, Covent Garden.
• 1668 Dom. Peter Bilcliffe elected prior of the Sheen Anglorum, Nieuport (English Carthusian monks in exile).
• 1669 Richard and William Bilcliffe of Houghton, with their wives, listed as convicted Catholic recusants.
• 1672 Hearth Tax paid by Robert, Edward, John and Thomas Bilcliff in Cumberworth, Robert Bincliff and widow Bincliffe in Ecclesfield, Richard and Thomas Bilcliffe in Houghton.
• 1766 Ensign Joseph Bilcliffe one of the officers of the Madras Army sent to Bengal to support Lord Clive during the Batta Mutiny of 1766.
• 1798 Land Tax paid by 18 individuals bearing the name Bilcliffe or a variant in Yorkshire, 1 in Derbyshire, 2 in Lancashire, 1 in Kent, 1 in Surrey.

Notable Bilcliffes of the past include:

1.  Edwin Biltcliffe, American classical pianist and composer in the mid 20th century.
2.  General James Bintliff, born in Halifax, American Civil War soldier, newspaper man, and philanthropist.
3.  Jonathan Bintcliffe, active campaigner for cotton industry workers in South Lancashire in the 1860s. Emigrated to the USA and was  also active there.
4.  Joshua Billcliff, early camera maker in Manchester.
5.  Robert Bilcliffe Loraine, actor and aviation pioneer. His father Henry, a comedian, adopted the stage name of Loraine.
6.  Samuel Bentlif, boot and shoe manufacturer, philanthropist and founder of the Bentlif Art Gallery at Maidstone Museum, Kent.

Findagrave Virtual Cemetery Silkstone Tree

I have a very recently established Y-DNA project, and would encourage anyone reading this with one of the surnames listed above, or a very similar one, to contact me. You can read about the  project here:

Bilcliffe Y-DNA Project

CONTACTING ME

Please note that I have been informed the contact link below does not work for everybody. If this is so for you please email me at bilcliffeatone-name.org (replacing at with @)