Show ContentsBoards History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Boards is a name whose history dates far back into the mists of early British times to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes. It is a name for 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 Boards family

The surname Boards 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 Boards family

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

Boards 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. Boards has been recorded under many different variations, including Board, Borde, Bord, Boards and others.

Early Notables of the Boards family

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


United States Boards 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 Boards or a variant listed above:

Boards Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Boards, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 4
  • Mrs. Thomas Boards, who landed in Virginia in 1652 4


The Boards 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.


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. 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)


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