The name is said to be derived from the French "bel," which means fair, beautiful, or handsome. But because the derivation is descriptive therefore the ancestry cannot be assumed for all those bearing this surname.
The name was sometimes derived from the sign of an inn or shop. The sign of a bell was used quite often for instance "John at the Bell" became "John Bell." There is no particular country of origin, though it was fairly prevalent in Scotland and England.
The name was sometimes derived from the sign of an inn or shop. The sign of a bell was used quite often for instance "John at the Bell" became "John Bell." There is no particular country of origin, though it was fairly prevalent in Scotland and England.