Show ContentsBorlacey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Borlacey family

The surname Borlacey was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Borlase. Cornwall was a land set apart, a land of mystique and quaint customs, more strongly related to Brittany and Wales than to England. It was not until the 10th century that they submitted to the Saxon rule of England. Since then, their influence has moved east into Devon, Somerset and Dorset. Some say that the first settlers was a man from Bordeaux who settled at Borlase.

The family "descended, it is said, from a Norman family, who settled in the parish of St. Wenn, Cornwall, where they adopted the Cornish name of their place of residence (Borlase's MSS.) Pendeen, near St. Just, became their chief abode about the middle of the seventeenth century." [1]

"Castle Horneck, which signifies the iron castle, is situated, according to Norden, on the site of "an ancient ruined castle." It stands on a mount near Penzance, and appears to have been in former times a place of some importance. Castle Horneck was for several generations a seat of the family of Levelis; but it has been for about a century in the Borlase family; and it is now the property of Mr. Samuel Borlase, a minor, son of the late John Borlase, Esq." [2]

Early History of the Borlacey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Borlacey research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1463, 1500, 1510, 1530, 1564, 1576, 1588, 1590, 1593, 1600, 1604, 1614, 1619, 1620, 1621, 1624, 1628, 1629, 1630, 1634, 1640, 1642, 1643, 1644, 1648, 1659, 1665, 1672, 1682, 1689, 1695 and 1772 are included under the topic Early Borlacey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Borlacey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Borlase, Borlace, Borlacy, Borlasy, Borlasey and others.

Early Notables of the Borlacey family

Notable amongst the family at this time was John Borlase of Bockmere (died 1593), High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1588; Sir William Borlase (ca. 1564-1629), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1604 and 1614; William Borlase (ca. 1588-1630), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1614 and from 1628 to 1629; Henry Borlase (c.1590-1624), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Aylesbury...
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Borlacey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Borlacey family to Ireland

Some of the Borlacey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 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 Borlacey family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: 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..



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print


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