Show ContentsBoayer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Boayer name was originally an Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a maker or trader of bows. A Bowyer's Company still exists in London. 1

Some sources claim that the name was derived from the French name Bouvier as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Hugo Bouvier and John Bouvier were of Normandy, 1180-95. 2

Early Origins of the Boayer family

The surname Boayer was first found in Buckinghamshire but other branches of the family were also found in Berkshire, Staffordshire and Sussex. Buckinghamshire was the home to two baronetcies: Denham Court and in the twentieth century, Weston Underwood.

One of the first records of the family in Britain was William Bowyer who was listed in Sussex the the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same source lists William le Boghyere, but no county. 3

Early History of the Boayer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boayer research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1588, 1612, 1613, 1614, 1623, 1641, 1642, 1644, 1649, 1653, 1659, 1660, 1666, 1679, 1681, 1691, 1699, 1761, 1767 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Boayer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boayer Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Boayer has undergone many spelling variations, including Bowyer, Bowyers, Bowyere, Bowyear and others.

Early Notables of the Boayer family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir William Bowyer, Lord Mayor of London; Sir William Bowyer (c 1588-1641), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1641; Sir Edmund Bowyer (1613-1681), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679; and Sir John Bowyer, 1st Baronet (1623-1666) English soldier and politician. Sir William Bowyer, 1st Baronet (1612-1679), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1679...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boayer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Boayer family to Ireland

Some of the Boayer family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boayer family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Boayer were among those contributors: Daniel Bowyer who settled in Virginia in 1635; Arthur Bowyer settled in west New Jersey in 1654 with his wife Grace; Henry Bowyer settled in Virginia in 1653.



The Boayer 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: Contentment passe richesse
Motto Translation: Contentment surpasses riches.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print


Houseofnames.com on Facebook