Balme History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Balme comes from when the family resided in the township of Balne, in the parish of Snaith, Lower division of the wapentake of Osgoldcross in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 Interestingly, Balne dates back to the 12th century when is was first listed with the same spelling used today, Balne - very few villages have held that same spelling over the centuries. It is thought that the place name meant "a bathing place," from the Latin word "balneum." 2

Early Origins of the Balme family

The surname Balme was first found in Yorkshire, where Robert de Balne was registered in Yorkshire in 1175. Early in the family's history they branched to Cornwall, where Alice de Balne was recorded in 1297. 3

By the time of the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, a stronghold of the family was found in the parish of Wadworth, again in the West Riding of Yorkshire. For it is here that Johannes Balm; Willelmus de Balne; Emma de Balne; and Thomas de Balme all held lands at that time. 4

Also of note was Henry de Balnea (fl. 1400?), an English monk of the Carthusian order, "author of a work entitled 'Speculum Spiritualium,' which was preserved at Norwich in Tanner's days. " 5

Early History of the Balme family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balme research. Another 169 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1500 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Balme History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balme Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Balme has been recorded under many different variations, including Balm, Balme, Baln, Balne, Ballm, Ballme, Ballne and others.

Early Notables of the Balme family

More information is included under the topic Early Balme Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balme Ranking

In France, the name Balme is the 4,899^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 6

Balme migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Balme or a variant listed above:

Balme Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Jo Balme, aged 34, who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "Primrose" in 1635 7

Balme Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jaques Balme, aged 35, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 8
Jacques Balme, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Balme (post 1700) +

John Balme, American conductor, opera manager and pianist, General Director of Boston Lyric Opera from 1979 to 1989
Craig Balme (b. 1961), former Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in 1983 and for Norwood (1984-1995)
Gerry Balme (1885-1945), former Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda (1902-1906) and in 1915
Harold Balme (1878-1953), British medical missionary to China, President of Cheeloo University from 1921 to 1927
Neil Allen Balme (b. 1952), former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond Football Club (1969-1979)
Eugène Jean François Balme (1874-1914), French two-time bronze medalist shooter at the 1900 Summer Olympics and 1908 Summer Olympics
Timothy Guy Balme (b. 1967), New Zealand actor and screenwriter
David Mowbray Balme (1912-1989), British expatriate professor and scholar, the first principal of the University College of the Gold Coast, Ghana, eponym of The Balme Library

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)