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Bushnell History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Bushnell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient roots of the Bushnell family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Bushnell comes from when the family lived in Yorkshire, in the parish of Bossall. While the surname is largely considered local, there are other possible origins of this name. It may be of patronymic origin, based on the first name of the father and would have derived as "the son of Bussell." 1

The name may also be of occupational origin and in this latter case it was originally derived from the Old English word busshel and would probably have been used to describe one who made bushel-baskets. 2

Early Origins of the Bushnell family

The surname Bushnell was first found in the North Riding or Yorkshire as Bossall, a parish, partly in the wapentake of Birdforth, but chiefly in that of Bulmer. 3 The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was first listed as Bosciale 4 and probably meant "nook of land of a man called Bot or Botsige," from the Old English personal name + "halh." 5

The parish of Hutton-Buscel (also in the North Riding of Yorkshire) is of particular significance to the family. "This parish derives its name from having been anciently the 'High town of the Buscel or Bushel family.' " 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls include: Margareta Bosell; Johannes Bussell; Laurencius Bossell; and Johanna Bossell as all holding lands there at that time. 1

Over in Leyland, Lancashire, another branch of the family was found in ancient times. "Warin Bussel, one of the barons under Roger de Poictou, in the reign of William I., held, among his ample demesnes, the parish of Leyland: at a very early period." 3

Another early record was found in Birkdale, Lancashire. The manor of Birkdale was originally held by Wibert in 1066. Warin Bussel (presumably the same as the aforementioned) held a portion of Penwortham before 1100. However, there mention of Bussel handing the property down to his heirs as the manor was passed to the Halsall family. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Geoffrey Buscel, Norfolk; Reginald Buscel, Norfolk; William Bushel, Huntingdonshire; and John Bussel, Cambridgeshire 1

Newton Bushell, Devon was held by "the Bushells, its possessors in the latter half of the thirteenth century. Teignweek was given in 1246 to Theobald de Englishville, and by him to his foster-child and kinsman, Robert Bushell. The Bushells continued until Richard II., when their heiress brought it to the Yardes. " 7

In Somerset, "Bushell is a name now scantily represented in the county. Two hundred years ago there was a Bath family of this name, members of which, on various occasions, filled the office of mayor (Warner's "Bath"). The name is still in that city." 8

Early History of the Bushnell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bushnell research. Another 195 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1140, 1200, 1594, 1609, 1621, 1643, 1651, 1667, 1670, 1674, 1684 and 1701 are included under the topic Early Bushnell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bushnell Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Bushnell has appeared include Bushell, Bussel, Bushle, Bushel, Bussell, Buchell, Buchel, Boushell, Boushel, Bousel and many more.

Early Notables of the Bushnell family

Distinguished members of the family include

Edward Bushel (c.1670), was foreman of an English jury that refused to return a guilty verdict under coercion, eponym of the term Bushel's Case; and John Bushnell (died 1701), was an English sculptor...
John Bushnell (d. 1701), was an English "sculptor, a pupil of Thomas Burman, who, having seduced his servant girl, forced Bushnell into marrying her. Bushnell thereupon quitted England in disgust, and...
Walter Bushnell (1609-1667), was an ejected clergyman under the Commonwealth, the son of William Bushnell of Corsham, Wiltshire. 9

Bushnell Ranking

In the United States, the name Bushnell is the 6,003^rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 10

Bushnell migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Bushnell arrived in North America very early:

Bushnell Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Francis Bushnell, aged 26, from Berkshire, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter", bound for Boston 11
John Bushnell, aged 21, from Berkshire, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Hopewell", bound for Salem 11
Mrs. Marie Bushnell, aged 26, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter" 11
Miss Martha Bushnell, aged 1, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Planter" 11
Francis Bushnell, who landed in Connecticut in 1638 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bushnell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

B Bushnell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 11
J P Bushnell, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 11
N Bushnell, who landed in San Francisco California in 1851 11

Bushnell 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:

Bushnell Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Walter William Bushnell, aged 21, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Indus" in 1843
Miss Emily Bushnell, (b. 1848), aged 22, British housemaid travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 12

Contemporary Notables of the name Bushnell (post 1700) +

Robert Tyng Bushnell (1896-1949), American politician, Massachusetts Attorney General from 1941-1945
Robert Tyng Bushnell (1896-1949), American politician, Massachusetts Attorney General from 1941 to 1945
David P. Bushnell (1913-2005), American entrepreneur, founder of Bushnell which is best known for their line of binoculars
Candace Bushnell (b. 1958), American author and columnist
Prudence Bushnell (b. 1946), American diplomat, former United States Ambassador to Kenya and Guatemala
Katharine Bushnell (1856-1946), American Christian writer, physician, medical missionary to China
Nolan K. Bushnell (b. 1943), American engineer and entrepreneur who founded Atari
Asa Bushnell, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Hartland, 1825, 1829-30, 1837 13
Ambrose G. Bushnell (1863-1944), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Branch County, 1929-32, 1935-36; Defeated in primary, 1924, 1932, 1936 13
Alvin Bushnell, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Greene County, 1825 13
... (Another 28 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Bushnell 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: Dum spiro spero
Motto Translation: While I have breath I hope.

Citations +

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.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
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/
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html