Balch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The lineage of the name Balch begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived at or near a bank or ridge. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English word Balca which means dweller by the bank or ridge. 1
Early Origins of the Balch family
The surname Balch was first found in Oxfordshire, where William Belch was first listed as a Templar in 1185. Later, William le Belch was listed as holding lands in Essex in 1295 and Robert Balch was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1328. 1
Kirby's Quest lists "Robert Balch, Somerset, 1 Edward III" (holding lands there during the first year's reign of Edward III.) 2
Sir Toby Belch is a character in William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
Early History of the Balch family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balch research. Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1185, 1295, 1327, 1332, 1604, 1659, 1669, 1670, 1735 and 1744 are included under the topic Early Balch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Balch Spelling Variations
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Balch has undergone many spelling variations, including Balch, Balche, Belch, Belche, Ballch, Bellch, Ballche and many more.
Early Notables of the Balch family
Distinguished members of the family include
- Sir John Balchen (1670-1744), English admiral, was born, according to local tradition and an anonymous inscription on his picture, 'of very obscure parentage, 4 Feb...
Balch Ranking
In the United States, the name Balch is the 6,331st most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3
Balch migration to the United States +
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Balch were among those contributors:
Balch Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- John Balch, who arrived in Salem Massachusettes in 1620
- Benjamin Balch, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship "Zouch Phoenix"
- John Balch, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship "Zouch Phoenix" 4
- Mrs. Agnes Balch, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship "Zouch Phoenix" 4
- John Balch, from Somerset, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship "Zouch Phoenix" 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Balch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Cornelius Balch, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1713 4
Balch Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Balch, who arrived in Texas in 1836
- D W Balch, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
- H F Balch, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1860 4
Contemporary Notables of the name Balch (post 1700) +
- Franklin Balch, American surgeon, and Leon Balch, an electrical engineer, educator and clergyman
- Thomas Balch (1821-1877), American historian
- John Henry Balch (1896-1980), American Navy officer, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in World War I
- Rear Admiral George Beall Balch (1821-1908), American naval officer, eponym of USS Balch
- Emily Greene Balch (1867-1961), American pacifist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient
- Donald L. Balch, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Marine Corps, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
- Henry Herbert Balch, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1936; Member of Maryland State Senate, 1950 5
- H. J. Balch, American politician, Member of Mississippi Territorial House of Representatives, 1811-13 5
- Ernest A. Balch, American politician, Mayor of Kalamazoo, Michigan, 1927-28 5
- Charles V. Balch, American politician, Independent Candidate for Virgin Islands legislature from St. Thomas-St.John, 2000 5
- ... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Balch family +
- Mr. Percy H Balch (b. 1920), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Binstead, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 6
HMS Royal Oak
- Henry Charles Balch, British Leading Cook with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 7
Citations +
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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.
- "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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.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