Bolsover History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestry of the name Bolsover dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in or near the settlement of Bolsover, in the county of Derbyshire.

Early Origins of the Bolsover family

The surname Bolsover was first found in Derbyshire, where one of the most prominent features of the landscape is Bolsover Castle. It was built by the Peverel family in the 12th century but became Crown property in 1155 when the third William Peverel fled into exile. In 1216, the castle was breached and left in ruins. Sir George Talbot bought the manor and castle in 1553, but it was Sir Charles Cavendish in 1608 who set about re-building the castle. The castle is now in the care of English Heritage.

Early History of the Bolsover family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bolsover research. Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1250, 1384, 1500, 1755 and 1773 are included under the topic Early Bolsover History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bolsover Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Bolsover have been found, including Bolsover, Bolesouer, Bolisouere, Bollesore and many more.

Early Notables of the Bolsover family

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

Bolsover migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Bolsover, or a variant listed above:

Bolsover Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Bolsover, who arrived in Indiana in 1828

Contemporary Notables of the name Bolsover (post 1700) +

George Henry Bolsover (1910-1990), Director of Slavonic and East European Studies at the University College of London (1947-1976)
Steve Bolsover, Professor of Cell Physiology at University College London, England