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![Show Contents]() Bowdant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Bowdant family name comes from a place name that was first used among the Viking settlers who arrived in the shores of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Bowdant name comes from someone having lived on the lands of Bowden, in Roxburghshire where the family held lands since the early Middle Ages. Early Origins of the Bowdant familyThe surname Bowdant was first found in Bowden, in Roxburghshire."For a period of about two hundred years various persons of the same surname are witnesses to a number of charters These are not mentioned as holding lands in the parish, but would appear to have been kindly tenants of the monastery who took their name from the barony. The monks of different periods were in the practice of sub-letting the lands of the barony, and some of the lands, on whatever condition originally let, came at length to be held by the parties in hereditary right". Between c, 1200 and c. 1240 one or more individuals named Richard de Boulden witnessed charters by Cecilia de Molle, Symon Maulverer, etc. Master Richard de Bouldone, parson of the parish of Edilstone, rendered homage to King Edward I of England in 1296. William de Bolden was Abbot of Kelso in 1370, and in 1399 we have mention of the tenement of John de Bolden in Westerkelsow.' 1 Gilbert Boddane who witnessed an instrument of sasine at Bordland of Laik, Kirkcudbrightshire in 1552. Later, John Bodane in Meiklehalf, 1686 (Kirkcudbright), and John Boddane and Williame Boddane were recorded as masters of families in the parish of Buittle, 1684. 1 Early History of the Bowdant familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bowdant research. Another 140 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1150, 1296, 1450 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bowdant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bowdant Spelling VariationsTranslation and spelling were non-standardized practices in the Middle Ages, so scribes had only their ears to rely on. This was a practice of extremely limited efficiency, and spelling variations in names, even within a single document, were the result. Over the years, Bowdant has appeared Bowden, Bouden, Boulden, Bouldene, Bolden, Boldane, Boldan, Boden, Bodden and many more. Early Notables of the Bowdant familyMore information is included under the topic Early Bowdant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Bowdant family to Ireland
Some of the Bowdant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 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 Bowdant familyThe fertile east coast of what would become US and Canada was soon dotted with the farms of Scottish settlers. Some of them remained faithful to the crown and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others had the chance to pay back their old oppressors in the American War of Independence. That brave spirit lives on today in the highland games that dot North America in the summer. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the Bowdant family came to North America quite early: Ambrose Bowden who settled in Maine in 1620; Jane Bowden settled in Virginia in 1653; John Bowden settled in Jamaica in 1661; Martha Bowden settled in Barbados in 1664.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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England
Scotland
Ireland
