Contents [hide]

Bull History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Bull History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The earliest origins of the Bull surname date from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name reveals that an early member was a person of strong character or who was physically strong and big. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Bull family

The surname Bull was first found in Somerset, where John le Bole was one of the first listings of the name found in 1284. 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list: William le Bole in Cambridgeshire; Geoffrey Bolle in Staffordshire; Ralph le Bule in Oxfordshire; and Robert le Bule in Somerset. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list: Willelmus Bulle; and Elena Bull. 5

Wulfin Bule was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire in 1170, Hulle le Bule was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Somerset in 1201, William le Bole was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls for Surrey in 1214 and Ralph le Bulle was listed in Northumberland in 1288. 6

The name reached as far north as Scotland where the name Bull was evident from 1296 when William Bull of Ayrshire rendered homage, to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland. 7

Early History of the Bull family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bull research. Another 242 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1275, 1376, 1535, 1540, 1552, 1563, 1575, 1582, 1585, 1591, 1605, 1610, 1623, 1628, 1630, 1634, 1636, 1660, 1661, 1679, 1684, 1685, 1686, 1689, 1690, 1692, 1694, 1710 and 1852 are included under the topic Early Bull History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bull Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bull are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bull include: Bull, Bule, Bulls, Buyll, Bula and others.

Early Notables of the Bull family

Distinguished members of the family include

Dr. John Bull (1552-1628) English composer, organist, virginalist, organ builder, and keyboard virtuoso, composer of "God Save the Queen." On Dec. 24, 1582 he was appointed organist of Hereford Cathed...
Henry Bull (d. 1575?), theological writer, a native of Warwickshire, was a demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1535, and full fellow and B.A. in 1540
John Bull (1563?-1628), was an musician, 'of the same family, as it seems, with those of his name in Somersetshire.' "According to the pedigree of the Bulls of Peglinch or Peylinch in the parish of We...
Henry Bull (1630-1692), was an English lawyer and politician, Member of Parliament for Wells (1660-1661), Milborne Port (1679-1689) and Bridgwater (1689-1692.)
George Bull (1634-1710), was Bishop of St. David's and belonged to an old Somersetshire family, and was born, 25 March 1634, in the parish of St. Cuthbert, Wells. 8
Captain Thomas Bull (c.1605-1684), was an English settler to the Connecticut Colony in 1636, and one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut; Henry Bull (1610-1694), 12th and 14th Governor of the Col...

Bull World Ranking

In the United States, the name Bull is the 2,671^st most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 9 However, in Australia, the name Bull is ranked the 517^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,416 people with that name. 10 And in New Zealand, the name Bull is the 451^st popular surname with an estimated 1,529 people with that name. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Bull as 364^th with 17,116 people. 12

Bull migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bull or a variant listed above:

Bull Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joseph Bull, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship "Abigaile" 13
Thomas Bull, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 13
Thomas Bull, aged 13, arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 13
Mr. Isack Bull, aged 27, from England who arrived in Virginia aboard the ship "America" arriving in June 1635 14
Richard Bull, aged 17, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliz Bull, who landed in Virginia in 1704 13
William Tredwell Bull, who arrived in South Carolina in 1712 13
Charles Bull, who settled in Boston in 1716
Edward Bull, who immigrated to the West Indies in 1722
Jonathan Bull, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1729 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Samuel Bull, aged 71, who landed in New York in 1812 13
John Bull, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1821 13
Sarah Bull, who sailed to New York in 1824
Timothy Bull, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1827 13
Abraham Bull, aged 11, who landed in New York in 1849 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bull Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Berar Bull U.E. who settled in Lincoln County, Niagara, Ontario c. 1783 15
Mr. Francis Bull U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway [Shelburne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 251 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York 15
Lt. George Bull U.E. born in New York, USA who settled in Woodstock, New Brunswick c. 1783 he served as part of the Cavalry American Legion 15
Mr. Richard Bull U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1783 15
Mrs. Margaret Bull U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Josiah Bull, who arrived in Canada in 1831
Hans Bull, who landed in Quebec in 1850
Stephen Bull, who arrived in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

Bull Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

R H Bull, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
I Bull, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907
Mrs. Bull, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Bull migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bull Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Bull, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. William Bull, English convict who was convicted in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
Mr. Jacob Bull, British Convict who was convicted in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Mr. Thomas Bull, (b. 1789), aged 32, English convict who was convicted in Woolwich, South East London, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 20th May 1821, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 19
Joseph Bull, English convict from Leicester, who was transported aboard the "Adamant" on March 16, 1821, settling in New South Wales, Australia 20
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bull Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Edward Bull, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
James Bull, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1843
Charles Bull, aged 28, a book binder, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Era" in 1855
Ann Bull, aged 27, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Era" in 1855
Alice Bull, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Era" in 1855
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bull migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 21

Bull Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Edward Bull, aged 22, who arrived in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon" 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Bull (post 1700) +

Alexander "Sandy" Bull (1941-2001), American folk musician and composer
Richard William Bull (1924-2014), American film, stage and television actor, best known for his role as Nels Oleson, on the NBC TV series Little House on the Prairie (1974-1983)
Lieutenant-General Harold Roe Bull (1893-1976), American Commandant of the National War College (1949-1952) 22
John Sumter Bull PH.D. (1934-2008), former NASA Astronaut 23
John Wrathall Bull (1804-1886), English settler to colonial South Australia, inventor and author from St Paul's Cray, Kent, known for his agricultural stripping machine
Sir William James Bull (1863-1931), English lawyer, Member of Parliament, created 1st Baronet Bull on November 25th 1922
Peter Bull (1912-1984), English stage and film actor
Geoffrey Randolph Bull (b. 1942), Australian jazz trumpeter and bandleader
Gerald Vincent Bull (1928-1990), Canadian engineer, long range artillery expert
Hedley Bull (1932-1985), Professor of International Relations at the Australian National University
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Bull family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Robert J Bull (b. 1902), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Newport, Isle of Wight, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 24
Mr. Percival H Bull (b. 1923), English Leading Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Gosport, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 24

HMS Royal Oak

Allen Nother Bull (1919-1939), British Shipwright 5th Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 25

RMS Lusitania

Mrs. Elizabeth Bull, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 26

RMS Titanic

Mr. W. Bull (d. 1912), aged 30, English Scullion from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 27

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Adamant voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1821 with 144 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adamant/1821
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, November 3) Harold Bull. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Bull/Harold_Roe/USA.html
NASA Astronauts Homepage. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) John Bull. Retrieved from http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/bull-js.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html