Show ContentsBousfield History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Bousfield arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Bousfield family lived in Cumberland. This name is thought by historians to have been taken from a family who came from Bousville, Normandy in the 1066 invasion. Other records show a hamlet named Bousfield one mile from Orton in Westmorland.

Early Origins of the Bousfield family

The surname Bousfield was first found in Cumberland, where they had been granted land by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Bousfield family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bousfield research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1066 is included under the topic Early Bousfield History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bousfield Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bousfield, Bousville, Bousefield, Bouseville and others.

Early Notables of the Bousfield family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Bousfield of Scarsykes


United States Bousfield migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bousfield or a variant listed above:

Bousfield Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Bousfield who settled in Philadelphia in 1820

Contemporary Notables of the name Bousfield (post 1700) +

  • Nathaniel George Philips Bousfield (1829-1883), English politician, Member of Parliament for Bath in 1874
  • Charles Bousfield Huleatt (1863-1908), Anglican priest, discoverer of the Magdalen papyrus 1
  • Ian Bousfield (b. 1964), English trombonist, Principal Trombone with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and with the London Symphony Orchestra
  • William Robert Bousfield FRS (1854-1943), British lawyer, Conservative politician and scientist
  • Ken Bousfield (1919-2000), British professional golfer who has 18 professional wins including the British PGA Championship
  • The Rt Rev Henry Brougham Bousfield DD, MA, (1832-1902), British Colonial Anglican prelate, inaugural Bishop of Pretoria (1878-1902)
  • Edward Bousfield (b. 1926), Canadian Biologist, who has held several positions at with the National Museums of Canada (Canadian Museum of Nature), including chief zoologist (1964-74)


  1. Charles Bousfield. (Retrieved 2010, October 21) Charles Bousfield. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bousfield_Huleatt


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