Show ContentsBollands History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In its ancient Gaelic form, the Irish name Bollands was written Ó Beollain, formed from a Norse personal name. 1

Early Origins of the Bollands family

The surname Bollands was first found in counties Clare and Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, where they held a family seat.

Early History of the Bollands family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bollands research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the year 1014 is included under the topic Early Bollands History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bollands Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Bollands revealed many variations, including Boland, Bolan, Boland, O'Boland, O'Bolan, Bolend, Bolen, Bolland, Bollan, Bollend, Bollen, Bowland, Bowlan, Bowlin, Boulland, Bollander, Bolander, Bollinder, Bolinder, Bollendar, Bolendar, Bollandar, Bowlander, Boulander, Bouland and many more.

Early Notables of the Bollands family

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

Migration of the Bollands family

Irish immigrants began to leave the English-controlled Ireland in sizable numbers during the late 18th century. Many of these Irish immigrated to British North America or the United States in the hopes of gaining their own tract of farmland. This pattern of migration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine caused a great exodus of immigrants to North America. These immigrants differed from their predecessors in that they were desperately fleeing the disease and starvation that plagued their homeland, and many were entirely destitute when they arrived in North America. Although these penniless immigrants were not warmly welcomed when they arrived, they were critical to the rapid development of the United States and what would become known as Canada. Many went to populate the western frontiers and others provided the cheap labor the new manufacturing sector and the building of bridges, roads, railways, and canals required. A thorough examination of immigration and passenger lists has revealed some of the earliest people to arrive in North America with name Bollands or one of its variants: James Boland who arrived in New England in 1764; Dominic, Francis, James, and John Boland, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Jeremiah Boland arrived in Quebec, Canada, in 1825.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


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