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Board History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Board History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Board was formed many centuries ago by the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name typically given to a dweller at a cottage or small farm. 1 Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French word "borde," 'a little house, lodging, or cottage of timber, standing alone in the fields. In Domesday [Book] the occupants of cottages are called bordarii, and amount to 82,119 in number." 2

Early Origins of the Board family

The surname Board was first found in Sussex, where one of the first records of the family was Andrew Borde or Boorde (1490?-1549), English "traveller and physician, ‘Andreas Parforutus’ as he jocosely calls himself, was born at ‘Boords Hill in Holms dayle,’ near Cuckfield, Sussex, some time before or about 1490, as by 1521 he was appointed suffragan bishop of Chichester, and must have therefore then been thirty years old." 3

Early History of the Board family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Board research. Another 52 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1490 and 1549 are included under the topic Early Board History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Board Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Board include Board, Borde, Bord, Boards and others.

Early Notables of the Board family

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

Board Ranking

In the United States, the name Board is the 7,227^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Board migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Board Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Board who settled in Virginia in 1639
John Board, who arrived in Virginia in 1643 5
Jacob Board, who settled in Virginia in 1663

Board Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Richard Board, who landed in Virginia in 1705 5
John Board, who settled in Virginia in 1774

Board Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jan VanDen Board, who arrived in Iowa in 1848 5

Board migration to Australia +

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

Board Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Board, English convict from Somerset, who was transported aboard the "Argyle" on March 5th, 1831, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 6
James Board, English convict from Dorset, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Alexander Board, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Enterprise" in 1840 8
Septimus Board, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Enterprise" in 1840 8
John Board, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Enterprise" in 1840 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Board 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:

Board Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Board, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
Ann Board, aged 30, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
Amelia Ann Board, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
Tom Board, aged 11 months, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Clifton" in 1842
Mary Board, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1863

Contemporary Notables of the name Board (post 1700) +

Stacey Board (b. 1965), American singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Thaddeus Board, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Passaic County, 1843-44 9
Rosie Board, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan Democratic State Central Committee, 1973-77 9
Pat Board Jr. (1908-1974), American Democratic Party politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Kanawha County, 1945-46, 1949-50, 1953-56, 1959-66; Defeated, 1956, 1966, 1972 9
M. T. Board, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Roane County, 1915-16 9
Joseph Breckinridge Board Jr. (b. 1931), American Democratic Party politician, Rhodes scholar; university professor; Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1972 9
John M. Board, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1855 9
Gerald E. Board, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Mayor of Parkersburg, West Virginia, 2012 9
E. C. Board, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for West Virginia State Senate 12th District, 1934 9
Terrence James Board (1945-2019), Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League (1965-1968)

The Board 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: Perforatus
Motto Translation: Pierce.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Argyle voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1831 with 251 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/argyle/1831
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ENTERPRISE 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Enterprise.gif
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html