Show ContentsBoorne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Boorne family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found at or near a local stream or a spring. Bourn is a small village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire. The population of the parish was 1,764 people at the time of the 2001 census.

Bourn Castle was located there and originally consisted of wooden buildings on an earthwork enclosure which was erected during the reign of William the Conqueror. This was burnt down during the reign of Henry III. In the early 16th century Bourn Hall was built on part of the site.

Early Origins of the Boorne family

The surname Boorne was first found in Lincolnshire at Bourne, a market town and civil parish in the South Kesteven district which dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Brune. The place name was derived from the Old English word burna or perhaps the Old Scandinavian word brunnr.

The aforementioned Bourn in South Cambridgeshire also dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed at that time as Brune. It has a similar origin. 1

Bourne Abbey is in Bourne, Lincolnshire dates back to before Domesday Book in 1086. At that time, it was listed as "half a church" and had a priest. In other words, it was a small church but standards of those days. Bourne Abbey and the surrounding area was held by Ogier the Breton and was a major fishery holding at the time 2,500 eels. 2

Early History of the Boorne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boorne research. Another 63 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1531, 1560, 1569, 1583, 1590, 1611, 1648, 1679, 1689, 1690, 1696, 1714, 1719, 1733, 1754 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Boorne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boorne Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Boorne include Bourne, Borne, Bourn and others.

Early Notables of the Boorne family

Notables of the family at this time include William Bourne or Bourn; (d. 1583), English mathematician, son of William Bourne of Gravesend, who died 1560; Immanuel Bourne (1590-1679), English divine from East Haddon, Northamptonshire; and Nehemiah Bourne (c. 1611-1690), an English Royal Navy Admiral who emigrated to America after the Restoration, retiring his appointment. Samuel Bourn, the Elder (1648-1719), was an English dissenting minister, born in 1648 at Derby, where his father and grandfather, who were clothiers, had shown some public spirit in providing the town with...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boorne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Boorne family to Ireland

Some of the Boorne family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 43 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boorne family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Boorne or a variant listed above: Mary Bourn who arrived in Philadelphia in 1774; John Bourn settled in Barbados with his wife and sons in 1680; Benjamin Bourne settled in Virginia in 1650.



The Boorne 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: Haec omnia transeunt
Motto Translation: All these things pass away.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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