Show ContentsBussey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Bussey is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066. The Bussey family lived at the parish of Bussey in Hereford. [1] The name, however, is a reference to the family's former place of residence, Bouce, in Orne, Normandy. [2]

Another source disagrees. The Duchess of Cleveland in her work "The Battle Abbey Roll," notes the family likely came from "Buci, in Normandy. Robert de Buci held a great barony in Northamptonshire and Leicestershire in 1086 [3]: but left no heir save a daughter, married to Ralph Basset, Justiciary of England under Henry I. " [4]

Early Origins of the Bussey family

The surname Bussey was first found in Leicestershire at Wyfordby, a parish, in the union of Melton-Mowbray, hundred of Framland. "This place, at the Conquest, was granted to Roger de Bussy, Baron of Tickhill, in the county of York." [5]

"Jordan de Bussi, is mentioned in the time of Stephen, when he held his uncle Walter Espec's castle of Werke, 'and gallantly repulsed the attack of William Fitz Duncan, King of Scots.' Of his descendants I am unable to find any account, except that they held of Mowbray in the thirteenth century." [2]

"The first Jordan de Bussy, called, in the pedigree, the son of Lambert, founded a great Lincolnshire house, that lasted till the end of Queen Elizabeth's reign. There exists no county history to blazon their deeds of arms or count up their forfeitures: we are not informed on which side they fought during the Barons' War, or whether they wore the colours of York or Lancaster. " [4]

"Dom. Hugh de Buscy" occurs in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1272 as a landowner in Northumberland, Norfolk, Lincoln, Suffolk and Sussex; and may have been the father of Hugh de Bowcy, Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1340. " [4]

Early History of the Bussey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bussey research. Another 60 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1381, 1388, 1391, 1393, 1394, 1397, 1399, 1800 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Bussey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bussey Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bussey, Busse, Bushe, Boosie, Boosey, Bowsey, Busey and many more.

Early Notables of the Bussey family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Bussy (d. 1399), Speaker of the House of Commons and Sheriff of Lincoln in 1379, 1381, and 1391. "He was first chosen a knight of the shire for Lincoln in 1388, and continued to sit for that county during the remaining parliaments of Richard II's reign. He was three times elected speaker, first by the parliament of 1393-1394, and afterwards by...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bussey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bussey Ranking

In the United States, the name Bussey is the 3,830th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. [6] However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Bussey is ranked the 560th most popular surname with an estimated 82 people with that name. [7]


United States Bussey migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bussey or a variant listed above:

Bussey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Georg Bussey, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 [8]
  • George Bussey who settled in Virginia in 1637
  • Ann Bussey, who landed in Virginia in 1637 [8]
  • George Bussey, who arrived in Maryland in 1655 [8]
  • Hannah Bussey, who landed in Maryland in 1670-1671 [8]
Bussey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Thomas Bussey, who settled in Philadelphia in 1774

Contemporary Notables of the name Bussey (post 1700) +

  • Dexter Manley Bussey (b. 1952), former American professional football player
  • Benjamin Bussey (1757-1842), American merchant, farmer, horticulturalist
  • Louis I. Bussey, American Republican politician, Member of Maine State House of Representatives from Penobscot County (6th), 1931-32 [9]
  • Henry G. Bussey (b. 1816), American Democratic Party politician, Physician; Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 28th District, 1875-78 [9]
  • Franklin Bussey, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 4th District, 1921-24 [9]
  • Elmer E. Bussey, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of New Hampshire, 1956 [9]
  • E. W. Bussey, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 4th District, 1931-32 [9]
  • Cyrus Bussey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Louisiana, 1868 [9]
  • Charles Bussey, American politician, Mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, 1981-82 [9]
  • Benjamin Bussey, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 4th District, 1913-14 [9]
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Harry F Bussey (b. 1901), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Hornsey, Middlesex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking [10]
SS Southern Cross
  • Mr. Thomas Bussey (1891-1914), Newfoundlander from Foxtrap who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found
  • Mr. Noah Bussey (1886-1914), Newfoundlander from Foxtrap who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found
  • Mr. Joseph Bussey (1884-1914), Newfoundlander from Kelligrews who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found
  • Mr. Gordon Bussey (1892-1914), Newfoundlander from Foxtrap who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found
  • Mr. Alfred Bussey (1895-1914), Newfoundlander from Foxtrap who was aboard the "SS Southern Cross" when it is suspected she sank between the 31st March 1914 and early April during the storm with a heavy load of pelts; no survivors were ever found


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. 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)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. 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
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  8. 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)
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. 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


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