Both History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
Ireland

The name Both finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It was given to one who worked as a herdsman. The surname Both is derived from the Old English word bothe, which in turn comes from the Old Danish word both, which means cow-house or herdsman's hut. 1

Early Origins of the Both family

The surname Both was first found in Yorkshire where one of the first listings of the name was Gilbert Bothe, del Both in 1274. 2 This line continued to be strong as the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 attest through the listing of: Rogerus del Boothe; Adam de Bothe; and Margeria de Bothe as all living there and holding lands at that time. 3

"The great family of Booth of Lancashire and Cheshire take their designation from their lordship of Booths in the former county, where they resided in the XIII century." 4 Indeed the Lancashire branch is of note as in "Booth as a surname, has strongly ramified in South Lancashire. " 3

Over in Barton-Upon-Irwell in Lancashire another branch of the family was found. "Barton Old Hall, a brick edifice, now a farmhouse, was the seat successively of the Barton, Booth, and Leigh families." 5

Early History of the Both family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Both research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1566, 1622, 1626, 1652, 1675, 1678, 1680, 1684, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1694, 1700, 1758, 1890 and 1916 are included under the topic Early Both History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Both Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Both has been recorded under many different variations, including Booth, Boothe and others.

Early Notables of the Both family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir George Booth, 1st Baronet of Dunham Massey (1566-1652), Sheriff of Lancashire and Cheshire; George Booth, 2nd Baronet of Dunham Massey, 1st Baron Delamer (1622-1684), Member of the House of Lords, an English peer; Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington (1652-1694), Member of Parliament for Cheshire (1678-1685), Chancellor of the Exchequer (1689-1690); George...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Both Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Both family to Ireland

Some of the Both family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Both migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Both or a variant listed above:

Both Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Both, who landed in New York, NY in 1782 6

Both Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H Both, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1849 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Both (post 1700) +

Peter Lam Both (b. 1972), Sudanese diplomat of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement
General Kuno-Hans von Both (1884-1955), German General of the Infantry during World War II, recipient of both the Pour le Mérite and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Paul Both (1911-1944), Leutnant der Reserves in the Wehrmacht during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

The Both 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: Deus adjuvat nos
Motto Translation: God assists us.

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)