Show ContentsBoness History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Boness family

The surname Boness was first found in Cumbria (Cumberland) at Bowness, a parish, in the union of Wigton, Cumberland ward. [1] Bowness is also a post-town, in the parish of Windermere, Kendal ward and union, county of Westmorland. [1]

The family was first referenced in the year 1592 when William Bowness held estates in Yorkshire, where the family name had moved from its origin in Westmorland. Bowness, an ancient town on Windermere is famous for its relics including the stained glass in the Church of St. Martin which is identified with the Cartmel Priory in Furness.

Early History of the Boness family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boness research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1676 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Boness History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boness Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Bowness, Bownass, Bownas, Bonas, Bonass, Boness, Bownys, Bownyss, Bowniss and many more.

Early Notables of the Boness family

Distinguished members of the family include Samuel Bownas (1676-1753), an English Quaker traveling minister and writer who lived in the Lancaster and Dover areas of England. His book 'A Description of the Qualifications Necessary to a Gospel Minister' is used to inform Quaker ministry to this day. He was born at Shap, Westmorland, on 20 Nov. 1676. "His father, a shoemaker, died within a month of Samuel's birth, leaving his mother a house...
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boness Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boness family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: George Bowness, on record in Virginia in 1787; Nancy Bowness, who came to Philadelphia in 1801; Robert Bowness, who arrived in Prince Edward Island in 1827.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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