Show ContentsBullion History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bullion was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bullion family lived in Lincolnshire and various other areas throughout Britain. The name of this family, however, does not refer to these areas, but to the French Channel port of "Boulogne."

Early Origins of the Bullion family

The surname Bullion was first found in various counties throughout Britain. The earliest listing of the name appears to be Gilebert de Bollon who was listed in Northumberland in 1168. 1

Over one hundred years later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Pharamund de Boloynne in Buckinghamshire; Richard de Boloyne in Somerset; John de Boloyne in Cambridge; and Thomas Boloyne in Essex. 2 Interestingly, the rolls also listed Simon, Count of 'Buloyne' as residing in Oxford. In the reference "History of Norfolk," Simon de Boleyn was listed about the same time. 3

Anne Boleyn (c. 1501-1536), Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of King Henry VIII, claimed descendancy from Geoffrey Boleyn (d. 1440), a yeoman of Salle, Norfolk.

Early History of the Bullion family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bullion research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1406, 1440, 1451, 1454, 1463, 1477, 1480, 1499, 1501, 1504, 1505, 1507, 1533, 1536, 1538, 1539, 1543, 1550, 1554, 1569, 1576, 1603, 1632 and 1640 are included under the topic Early Bullion History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bullion Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Bullen, Bulen, Bullan, Bulloyne, Bouleyne, Bulleyn and many more.

Early Notables of the Bullion family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Angélique de Bullion, born in Paris, at the beginning of the seventeenth century, was a French benefactress who was influential in the foundation of Montreal. She married Claude de Bullion (1569-1640)...

Bullion Ranking

In the United States, the name Bullion is the 15,564th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Bullion family to Ireland

Some of the Bullion family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Bullion migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Bullion or a variant listed above:

Bullion Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Bullion, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Bullion (post 1700) +

  • Laura Bullion (1876-1961), American outlaw of the Old West, thought to have been born in Knickerbocker, near Mertzon, in Irion County, Texas, member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang
  • Stéphane Bullion (b. 1980), French Etoile dancer of the Paris Opera Ballet


The Bullion Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: E Rege et victoria
Motto Translation: The King and victory.


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  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. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)


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