Contents [hide]

Bowsher History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Bowsher History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Bowsher thought to be of Norman heritage. It is a name for a person who was a person who frequently used the informal Norman greeting beu sire, which means good sir, or fine sir. 1

Another source presumes the name could have been from the French word "bussiere," and literally meant "dweller in the place planted with bushes." 2

"Bourcher or Bourchier are not the original form of this great name, which, derived from Boursseres in Burgundy, passed through various stages of transmutation as Berseres, Bursers, Boussers, Burcer, Bowser (as it is given by Duchesne) Burghcher, &c, &c, before it finally reached the one in which it is familiar to us. Urso de Berseres, in 1086, held Senly in Buckinghamshire 3 and Sylvester de Bursers, in 1165, was a tenant of the Honour of Clare, in Suffolk 4. " 5

Early Origins of the Bowsher family

The surname Bowsher was first found in Essex. They were originally from Bouchier in Normandy, and arrived in England with Duke William in 1066. 6

John de Bourchier (d.circa 1330) was an English Judge of the Common Pleas and the earliest ancestor of the family. His son, Robert Bourchier or Boussier was 1st Baron Bourchier (died 1349) and held the position of Lord Chancellor of England, the first layman to hold the post. His son, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Bourchier (d. 1400), was a soldier and diplomat. 7

"The eldest of the sons, Henry Earl of Ewe and Essex, Lord Treasurer of England, was grandfather of Henry, the second and last Earl of Essex, a gallant courtier of his day, and captain of Henry the Eighth's body guard, who attended his royal master into France as Lieut.-General of all the Spears: and at the famous tournament which Henry held in the eighth year of his reign, the Earl of Essex, with the King himself, the Duke of Suffolk, and Nicholas Carew, answered all comers. A few years after, his lordship again attended his sovereign to France, and swelled the pageantry upon the field of the Cloth of Gold. The Earl died in consequence of a fall from his horse in 1539, and his barony of Bourchier was eventually inherited by the descendants of his sister Cicely." 8

Early History of the Bowsher family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bowsher research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1400, 1405, 1409, 1467, 1491, 1533, 1535, 1551, 1587, 1589, 1595, 1605, 1643, 1654 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Bowsher History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bowsher Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Bowser, Bouchier, Boucher, Bourchier, Bowesar, Bowsher and many more.

Early Notables of the Bowsher family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Bourchier (d. 1400), soldier and diplomat in the service of the crown; Bartholomew Bourchier, 3rd Baron Bourchier (died 1409), member of Parliament, summoned to Parliament the first time 9 September 1400, the year of his father's death, continued to be summoned until 1409, but obtained an exemption from attended in 1405, no records of military service, unlike his father and grandfather; John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (1467-1533), an English soldier, statesman and translator; General Sir...
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bowsher Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Bowsher family to Ireland

Some of the Bowsher family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bowsher migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Bowsher or a variant listed above were:

Bowsher Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Bowsher, aged 31, British settler who arrived in New York in 1882 aboard the ship "Nederland" 9
Tom Bowsher, aged 33, British settler who arrived in New York in 1889 aboard the ship "Liverpool" 9

Bowsher Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Harold Bowsher, aged 24, British settler who arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Caledonia" 9
William Bowsher, aged 27, British settler who arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Oceanic" 9
Annie Bowsher, aged 32, Welsh settler who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Mauretania" 9
Francis M. Bowsher, aged 2, Welsh settler who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Mauretania" 9

Bowsher migration to Australia +

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

Bowsher Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century

B. Bowsher, who arrived in Fremantle, Australia in 1910 aboard the ship "Osterley" 10
E. H. Bowsher, who arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1921 aboard the ship "Omar" 10
JJ Bowsher, who arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1921 aboard the ship "Omar" 10

Bowsher 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:

Bowsher Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Kate Bowsher, aged 14, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rooparell" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Bowsher (post 1700) +

James R. Bowsher, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Iowa, 1916 11
Mrs. Allen Bowsher, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1956 11
Allen Bowsher, American Republican politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives from Henry County, 1950 11

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
national Archives of Australia retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html