Boneham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Boneham surname is derived from the Old French words "bon" and "homme," in turn from the Latin "bonus homo" both of which literally meant "good man," but also came to mean a "peasant farmer."

Early Origins of the Boneham family

The surname Boneham was first found in Wiltshire at Bonham, a hamlet now in the parish of Stourton with Gasper. "Bonham, though placed in the Ordo, and even in some ancient documents, as in Somersetshire, is really in Wilts. The small manor and tything of Bonham had formerly belonged to a family of that name (Editha Bonham, elected abbess of Shaftesbury 15th November, 1441, obiit 20th April, 1460), and afterwards came into the possession of the Stourtons." 1

Early History of the Boneham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boneham research. Another 211 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1247, 1273, 1327, 1500, 1545, 1549, 1550, 1597, 1611 and 1629 are included under the topic Early Boneham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boneham Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Boneham are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Boneham include: Bonham, Bonhume, Bonhomme, Bonhom, Bonhome, Bonum, Bonem and many more.

Early Notables of the Boneham family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir John Bonham, English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Chippenham in 1545, High Sheriff of Wiltshire from 1549 to...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boneham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boneham migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Boneham Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Henry Boneham, aged 33, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874
Fanny Boneham, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874
Charles Boneham, aged 3, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874
Henry Boneham, aged 3 mths., who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oxford" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Boneham (post 1700) +

Ms. Denise Boneham M.B.E., British Corporal for the Royal Air Force from Leaden Roding, Uttlesford, Essex, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 2

Historic Events for the Boneham family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Norman Boneham (b. 1905), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Coventry, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 3

Citations +

Oliver, George, Collections Illustrating the History of the Catholic Religion in the Counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wilts, and Gloucester London: Charles Dolman, 61, New Bond Street, 1857. Print
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm