Show ContentsBalser History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Balser family

The surname Balser was first found in Lancashire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Balser family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balser research. Another 201 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1246, 1258, 1265, 1332, 1401, 1512, 1522, 1608, 1622 and 1628 are included under the topic Early Balser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balser Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Balser include Balshaw, Balshawe, Ballshaw, Balsagh, Balshagh, Balshay and many more.

Early Notables of the Balser family

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

Balser Ranking

In the United States, the name Balser is the 15,594th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Balser migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Balser were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Balser Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Balser, who landed in Massachusetts in 1643 2
Balser Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Andrew Balser, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1851 2
  • Christ Balser, who landed in America in 1853 2

Australia Balser migration to Australia +

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

Balser Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Balser, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Lancashire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 1st January 1850, arriving in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, he died in 1909 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Balser (post 1700) +

  • Jeffrey R. Balser (b. 1962), American president and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC)
  • Ruth B. Balser, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 2004 (alternate), 2008 4
  • Jesse Balser, American politician, Mayor of Arcadia, California, 1961-62 4
  • Ewald Balser (1898-1978), German film actor
  • Gordon Balser (1954-2024), Canadian educator and politician in Nova Scotia who represented Digby-Annapolis in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1998 to 2003
  • William Balser Skirvin (1860-1944), American real estate developer and oil millionaire, founder of the Skirvin Hotel, Oklahoma City


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/australasia
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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