Show ContentsBolter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain were the first to use the name of Bolter. The name had a practical origin since it came from when its initial bearer worked as a sifter of meal. Other evidence suggests that the surname Bolter was established as an area called Boulder. From there people acquired the surname. The name is also derived from the Old English word bulder which means boulder or cobblestone. Alternatively the name could have been derived from the word bolter which was a miller. Boulter's Lock and Boutler's Island are both located on the River Thames on the eastern side of Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Early Origins of the Bolter family

The surname Bolter was first found in Yorkshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Bolter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolter research. Another 33 words (2 lines of text) covering the years 1272, 1635, 1671, 1672, 1694, 1698, 1701, 1709, 1719, 1724 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Bolter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolter Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Bolter include Boulter, Bolter, Boulder, Bolteir and others.

Early Notables of the Bolter family

Distinguished members of the family include Edmund Boulter (c.1635-1709), a London merchant and politician, Sheriff of London (1694); Edmund Boulter (c. 1635-1709), a London merchant and politician, Sheriff of London in July 1694, Member of Parliament for Boston (1698-1701); and Dr. Hugh Boulter (1672-1742), Church...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bolter Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Bolter family to Ireland

Some of the Bolter family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bolter migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bolter or a variant listed above:

Bolter Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Bolter, who landed in Maryland in 1671 [1]
Bolter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Bolter, who landed in New Jersey in 1854 [1]
  • Hermann Bolter, who arrived in New Jersey in 1854 [1]

Australia Bolter migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bolter Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia


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