Show ContentsBuddle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Buddle was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Buddle family lived at Bootle in the suburbs of Liverpool, Lancashire. "The name of this place, formerly written "Bothill," is supposed to be derived from the booths erected on a hill above the town, for the watchmen whose duty it was to light the beacon on its summit, upon the discovery of any ships in the Irish Channel which might appear to threaten a descent upon the coast." [1]

Early Origins of the Buddle family

The surname Buddle was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Conjecturally they are descended from Count Roger de Poitou, of Poitou. He was the son of Earl Roger of Poitou, who was one of the Norman nobles in the Battle of Hastings. The name of the hamlet was anciently Boltelai. The Count Poitou (Pictaviens) held Boltelai and numerous other Lordships in Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. He is recorded in the Domesday Book taken in 1086 A.D. "Four thanes at the time of the Domesday Survey held 'Boltelai' as four manors." [1]

This hamlet later became known as Bootle and ironically, at this time there is no record of any habitation known as Liverpool of which Bootle is now a Borough.

Early rolls had few entries for the name. In fact, the first entries were in the 16th century where the Lancashire Wills at Richmond listed: Matthew Bootle, Lancashire, a scrviniman, 1595; and Thomas Bootle, of Tatham, Lancashire, 1598. A few years later, the Preston Guild Rolls listed Thomas Bootell, Lancashire, 1602; and William Bootell, Lancashire, 1602. [2]

Further to the north in Scotland, Buittle is a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcud-bright. "This place is of great antiquity, and there are still some remains of its castle, supposed to have been the principal seat of the ancient lords of Galloway. The parish, of which the name is of very uncertain derivation." [3]

Early History of the Buddle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Buddle research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1662, 1715 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Buddle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Buddle Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries. For that reason, spelling variations are common among many Anglo-Norman names. The shape of the English language was frequently changed with the introduction of elements of Norman French, Latin, and other European languages; even the spelling of literate people's names were subsequently modified. Buddle has been recorded under many different variations, including Butil, Butill, Butel, Bootell, Bootle, Buthill and others.

Early Notables of the Buddle family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Adam Buddle (1662-1715), an English cleric and botanist from Deeping St James, a small village near Peterborough


United States Buddle migration to the United States +

To escape the uncertainty of the political and religious uncertainty found in England, many English families boarded ships at great expense to sail for the colonies held by Britain. The passages were expensive, though, and the boats were unsafe, overcrowded, and ridden with disease. Those who were hardy and lucky enough to make the passage intact were rewarded with land, opportunity, and social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families went on to be important contributors to the young nations of Canada and the United States where they settled. Buddles were some of the first of the immigrants to arrive in North America:

Buddle Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Buddle, who arrived in New York in 1832 [4]
  • Mr. Edward Buddle, (b. 1864), aged 24, Cornish miner departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "Arizona" arriving in the United States on June 4 1888 [5]

Australia Buddle migration to Australia +

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

Buddle Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Henry Buddle, aged 38, a schoolmaster, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Ascendant" [6]
  • Henry Buddle, aged 38, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Ascendant" in 1851 [6]
  • Thomas Buddle, aged 7, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Ascendant" in 1851 [6]
  • Mary A Buddle, aged 45, a matron, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "The Ascendant" in 1851 [6]
  • John Buddle, aged 27, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Olivia" [7]

New Zealand Buddle 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:

Buddle Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Buddle, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
  • W D Buddle, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842
  • Mr. F. Buddle, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Glenmark" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1868 [8]
  • Miss Mary Buddle, (b. 1865), aged 18, British settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1883 [8]
  • Mr. James Buddle, (b. 1866), aged 17, British settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1883 [8]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. 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)
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ASCENDANT 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Ascendant.htm
  7. South Australian Register Tuesday 15 November 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Olivia 1857. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/olivia1853.shtml
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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