Show ContentsBoughyear History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Boughyear is an old Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a maker or trader of bows. A Bowyer's Company still exists in London. 1

Some sources claim that the name was derived from the French name Bouvier as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Hugo Bouvier and John Bouvier were of Normandy, 1180-95. 2

Early Origins of the Boughyear family

The surname Boughyear was first found in Buckinghamshire but other branches of the family were also found in Berkshire, Staffordshire and Sussex. Buckinghamshire was the home to two baronetcies: Denham Court and in the twentieth century, Weston Underwood.

One of the first records of the family in Britain was William Bowyer who was listed in Sussex the the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same source lists William le Boghyere, but no county. 3

Early History of the Boughyear family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Boughyear research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1588, 1612, 1613, 1614, 1623, 1641, 1642, 1644, 1649, 1653, 1659, 1660, 1666, 1679, 1681, 1691, 1699, 1761, 1767 and 1777 are included under the topic Early Boughyear History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Boughyear 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. Boughyear has been recorded under many different variations, including Bowyer, Bowyers, Bowyere, Bowyear and others.

Early Notables of the Boughyear family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir William Bowyer, Lord Mayor of London; Sir William Bowyer (c 1588-1641), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1641; Sir Edmund Bowyer (1613-1681), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679; and Sir John Bowyer, 1st Baronet (1623-1666) English soldier and politician. Sir William Bowyer, 1st Baronet (1612-1679), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1679...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Boughyear Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Boughyear family to Ireland

Some of the Boughyear family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Boughyear family

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 Boughyear or a variant listed above: Daniel Bowyer who settled in Virginia in 1635; Arthur Bowyer settled in west New Jersey in 1654 with his wife Grace; Henry Bowyer settled in Virginia in 1653.



The Boughyear 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: Contentment passe richesse
Motto Translation: Contentment surpasses riches.


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  3. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print


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