Bolton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the name Bolton date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Bolton family lived in Lancashire and Yorkshire, where they derived their name from any of several places named Boulton or Bolton. The name literally means district characterized by bends from the Old English words boga and land. 1

There are numerous place names throughout the north of England named after this illustrious family including Bolton le Sands in Lancashire, Bolton Castle, Bolton Percy and Bolton upon Dearne in Yorkshire. The Domesday Book of 1086 refers to Bodeltone 2 and it is generally understood that this if the first reference for most of these places.

Early Origins of the Bolton family

The surname Bolton was first found in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumberland and Northumberland. The latter "is memorable as the scene of a meeting in 1209, between John, King of England, and William, King of Scotland." 3

The Boldon Book was prepared on orders of Hugh du Puiset, Bishop of Durham in 1183 and while similar to the Domesday Book from a century before, the book lists lands and properties of what would later become County Durham which is now known as the North East. Only four known manuscript copies exist today.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family: Michael de Boulton, Yorkshire; and Thomas de Boulton, or Bolton, Lincolnshire. 4

In Scotland, the name was "probably from Bolton in East Lothian. Adam de Boultone was reeve of Dunfres, 1287. William fiz Geffray de Boultone del counte de Edeneburk rendered homage, 1296. John of Boulton was employed as a mason at Castle of Linlithgow, 1302, and Robert of Bolton, a Scot, was released from prison in Colchester, 1396." 5

More recently, some of the family were found at Wrightington in Lancashire. "Harrock Hall, the seat of the Boulton family, was purchased in 1839 from the Rigbys, of whom, in 1567, it had already been the residence for four generations: the house, around which are 420 acres, has been restored by the present possessor." 3

Early History of the Bolton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolton research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1321, 1570, 1572, 1575, 1592, 1606, 1611, 1619, 1631, 1633, 1639, 1640, 1645, 1648, 1650, 1654, 1659, 1666, 1680, 1844, 1868, 1878 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bolton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolton Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bolton are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bolton include: Boulton, Bolton, Bolten, Boalton, Boultoun, Boultown, Boltan, Boulten and many more.

Early Notables of the Bolton family

Distinguished members of the family include

Edmund Bolton or Boulton (1575?-1633?), an English historian and poet, born in or about 1575;
Sir Richard Bolton (1570?-1648), English lawyer, son of John Bolton, of Fenton, Staffordshire; Sir Edward Bolton (1592-1659 ), an English-born judge who served for many years as Solicitor General for...
Also of note was Robert Bolton (1572-1631), the English Puritan, sixth son of Adam Bolton, of Brookhouse, Blackburn, Lancashire. "The history of his family has been carefully traced in the 'Genealogic...

Bolton World Ranking

In the United States, the name Bolton is the 948^th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 6 However, in Australia, the name Bolton is ranked the 604^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,498 people with that name. 7 And in New Zealand, the name Bolton is the 585^th popular surname with an estimated 1,221 people with that name. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Bolton as 382^nd with 16,718 people. 9

Migration of the Bolton family to Ireland

Some of the Bolton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 237 words (17 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolton migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bolton or a variant listed above:

Bolton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Richard Bolton, aged 28, who arrived in Virginia in 1610 aboard the ship "Mary & James" 10
Mr. Thomas Bolton, (Belton), aged 18, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" coming via St. Domingo 10
Tho Bolton, aged 18, who landed in Virginia in 1635 11
Jane Bolton, who settled in Virginia in 1635
lone Bolton, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bolton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mattw Bolton, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 11
Hugh Bolton, who landed in New England in 1730 11
Elianor Bolton, who arrived in Maryland in 1740 11

Bolton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Bolton, who landed in America in 1808 11
B B Bolton, aged 38, who landed in Maryland in 1813 11
Margaret Bolton, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 11
Samuel Bolton, who arrived in Tippecanoe County, Ind in 1844 11
Mathias Bolton, who landed in New York NY in 1847 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bolton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bolton Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Abraham Bolton U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 12
Mr. Abraham Bolton Sr., U.E. who settled in Edwardsburgh-Cardinal, Leeds & Grenville, Ontario c. 1783 12
Mr. Richard Bolton U.E. who settled in Edwardsburgh-Cardinal, Leeds & Grenville, Ontario c. 1783 12
Mr. George Bolton, "Boulton" U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 12

Bolton migration to Australia +

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

Bolton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Bolton, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, the settlement was listed as abandoned and most of the convicts transported to Tasmania on the "Queen" in 1804 13
Mrs. Ann Bolton, settler who travelled with her husband John Roberts convict, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Miss Jemima Bolton, English convict who was convicted in Huntingdon, Cambridge, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. Thomas Bolton, (b. 1781), aged 40, English convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 20th May 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1821 16
William Bolton, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on April 1st, 1822, settling in New South Wales, Australia 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bolton 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:

Bolton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Bolton, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in Hokianga, North Island, New Zealand in 1836 18
Edward Bolton, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1839
Mr. Bolton, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1839 18
Mr. James Bolton, (b. 1817), aged 23, British agricultural labourer travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 18
James Bolton, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgeway" in 1840
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bolton migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 19

Bolton Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Nathaniell Bolton, (b. 1616), aged 19, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Anne and Elizabeth" arriving in Barbados in 1635 20
Edward Bolton, who settled in Barbados in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Bolton (post 1700) +

Michael Bolton (b. 1953), stage name of Michael Bolotin, American Grammy Award and American Music Award winning singer and songwriter
John Robert Bolton (b. 1948), American attorney, diplomat, 25th United States Ambassador to the United Nations (2005-2006), 27th United States National Security Advisor (2018-2019)
Roxcy O'Neal Bolton (1926-2017), American feminist and civil and women's rights activist, founder of Women in Distress
Josh Bolton (b. 1984), American soccer player
Thomas Edward Bolton (b. 1962), American former Major League Baseball pitcher
Brigadier-General Newell Castle Bolton (1888-1947), American Commanding Officer 54th Cavalry Brigade (1936-1940) 21
Guy Bolton (1885-1979), American playwright and screenwriter
Herbert Eugene Bolton (1870-1953), American historian and professor of history
Ruthie Bolton (b. 1967), American former collegiate, Olympic, and professional basketball player
First Lieutenant Cecil H Bolton (1908-1965), American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bolton family +

Empress of Ireland

Miss Sadie Bolton (1914-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Master George Bruce Bolton (1911-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Mrs. Lillian Maud Bolton (1883-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Mr. George Henry Bolton (1882-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22

HMS Repulse

Mr. William Thomas Bolton, British Petty Officer Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 23
Mr. William James Bolton (b. 1921), Irish Ordinary Seaman from Belfast, Ireland, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 23

The Bolton 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: Vi et virtute
Motto Translation: By strength and valour.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1822 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1822
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's. Retrieved 23rd September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 22) Newell Bolton. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bolton/Newell_Castle/USA.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 16) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html