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![Show Contents]() Bofor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England France
Early Origins of the Bofor familyThe surname Bofor was first found in Norfolk where they conjecturally descend from the tenant of the village and lands of Swanton Morely, held by William de Beaufou, a Norman Baron, son William de Beaufoe, Bishop of Thetford and Chancellor to the Conqueror, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. William Beaufeu (d. 1091), Bishop of Thetford, was, apparently, a son of Robert Sire de Belfou, who fought on the Conqueror's side at Senlac. 1 Robert de Beaufeu, Bellofago or Bellofocco (fl. 1190), was a secular canon of Salisbury. "At an early age, a reputation for learning, and became the friend of Giraldus Cambrensis, Walter Map, and other scholars. He is said to have written a work entitled 'Encomium Topographiæ,' " 1 Roger Beaufeu or Bello Fago (fl. 1305), was an early judge, probably of the same family as Nicholas de Beaufo of Beaufo's Manor, Norfolk, a contemporary of the judge. "One Radulphus de Bello or Bella Fago (both genders are found, though the masculine predominates) is mentioned in Domesday Book as holding extensive estates in Norfolk, and the bishop of Thetford also there mentioned we know from other sources to have been William de Beaufo, called by Godwin inaccurately Galsagus, and by others still more corruptly Welson. It may be mentioned in passing that many other varieties of the name are found, such as Belfagus, Beaufou, Beaufogh, Beaufour, Belflour, Beufo, Beufew, and, in the eighteenth century, Beaufoy. " 1 Early History of the Bofor familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bofor research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1090, 1306 and 1603 are included under the topic Early Bofor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bofor Spelling VariationsMultitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Beaufou, Beaufois, Bellofago, Beaufloe, Beauflower, Bouffler, Beaufoy, Bowflower, Beauflour, Beauforest, Beaufor, Bofor, Bowfor and many more. Early Notables of the Bofor familyAnother 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bofor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Bofor familyBecause of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Bofor or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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